boy's name
Jermaine
jur-MAYN (English)
- Origin French
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 44,310
Jermaine means brother, and it is French rather than Germanic — germain is the ordinary word for a full brother, and it has nothing to do with Germany despite appearances. A cousin-german is a first cousin, from exactly the same word.
- Jermaine is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 1973, when 2,097 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 28,096 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Jermaine started out as a girls' name and is now given almost entirely to boys.
- First appears in US birth records in 1923.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Jermaine Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1920s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 17 |
| 1930s | 19 |
| 1940s | 20 |
| 1950s | 42 |
| 1960s | 25 |
| 1970s | 13,994 |
| 1980s | 13,091 |
| 1990s | 6,167 |
| 2000s | 5,510 |
| 2010s | 3,207 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 902 |
What Jermaine Means
Jermaine means brother, or of the same parents. The Latin germanus describes full siblings specifically, as opposed to half-siblings, so it is a legal term before it is a name.
Where Jermaine Comes From
Jermaine respells Germain, the French form of the Latin germanus — a full brother, one sharing both parents, which is why cousins-german are first cousins. The word is unrelated to Germany, whose name the Romans took from a tribal label of uncertain origin. Saint Germain of Auxerre and Saint Germaine of Pibrac carried it into French use. Its American popularity is largely twentieth-century.
Jermaine in Use
Jermaine peaked in the United States in 1973, when 2,097 babies were registered, and is falling. It now ranks 1,494th in the United States on 118 births and 2,580th in England and Wales on 9, across 44,310 lifetime births in two markets. England and Wales ran its own peak of 71 births in 2006, and the name is on record from 1923.
How Popular Is Jermaine?
In 2025, Jermaine was given to 118 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Jermaine Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Jermaine
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Jermaine Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jermaine over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Jermaine
- English jur-MAYN /dʒəɹˈmeɪn/
Jermaine in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Jermaine
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Jermaine — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Jermaine
What does the name Jermaine mean?
Brother — the Latin germanus, a full sibling sharing both parents.
Is it related to Germany?
No. The country's name comes from a tribal label of uncertain origin.
What is a cousin-german?
A first cousin — the same germanus, meaning of the same stock.
How popular is Jermaine?
1,494th in the United States, down from a 1973 peak of 2,097 births.
Is Jermaine a girl's or a boy's name?
Jermaine is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jermaine?
Jermaine has 2 syllables.
Is Jermaine a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jermaine currently ranks #1,494 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Jermaine originally a boys' or girls' name?
Jermaine was given mostly to girls in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to boys.