150+ Baby Boy Names That Start With J (With Meanings)

Updated March 17, 2022
Baby boy playing with cardboard letter J

If you love the letter J, the sound it makes, or want to continue a J name theme in your family, there are hundreds of baby boy names for you to choose from. Choosing a baby boy name that starts with J is easy when you know what names and sounds you like. Keep in mind, the letter "J" can make a "j" sound or a "h" sound.

J Nicknames to Use as First Names for Boys

If you like short baby boy names or want a unique name for your little guy, J nicknames and boy names with one syllable are fun options.

Smiling Newborn Boy
  • J (jay) - Short for any J Name
  • Ja (jah) - Nickname; title part of rapper Ja Rule
  • Javi (hah-vee) - Short for Javier
  • Jax - Short for Jaxson/Jackson/Jaxon
  • JB - Initials for kids with first names beginning with J and middle names beginning with B
  • JC -Initials; NSYNC member's name (JC Chasez)
  • JD - Initials for kids with first names beginning with J and middle names beginning with D
  • Jem - Short for Jeremy
  • JJ - Initials for kids with first and middle names both beginning with the letter J
  • Jo/Joe - Short for Joseph
  • JP - Initials for kids with a first name starting with J and a middle name starting with P
  • JR (joon-yor or jay-are) - Initials for kids with first names beginning with J and middle names beginning with R, also short for Junior
  • JT - Initials; Justin Timberlake's nickname
  • JuJu - Short for Julien
  • Juni - Short for Junior
  • JZ - Initials; Similar sound to rapper Jay-Z

Strong J Names for Baby Boys From the Bible

Biblical names have always been popular for boys throughout history, but many J names from the Bible are unique biblical names for boys when you look beyond John and James.

Baby looking at alphabet cube
  • Jaala (jah-ah-lah) - Wild goat
  • Jaasau (jay-ah-sow) - They will do
  • Jabez (Jay-behz) - Sorrow
  • Jabin (Jay-bihn) - Perceptive
  • Jachin (Jay-kin) - He establishes
  • Jacob - Supplanter
  • Jada (jah-dah) - He knows
  • Jahleel - God waits
  • Jahzeel - God will divide
  • Jair (jay-er) - He shines
  • Jamin (jay-mihn) - Right hand
  • Japeth - Enlarged
  • Jarah - Honeycomb
  • Jared - Descent
  • Jason - To heal
  • Javan - Greece
  • Jeconiah (jeh-coh-nyuh or jeh-cohn-eye-uh) - Yahweh will establish
  • Jedidiah (jehd-ih-die-uh) - Beloved of Yahweh
  • Jehiel (jee-hie-uhl)- God will live
  • Jehu (jee-hoo) - Yahweh is he
  • Jeremiah - Yahweh will exalt
  • Jeriah - Taught by Yahweh
  • Jesse - Gift
  • Jesus - Yahweh is salvation
  • Jethro - Abundance
  • Joash (joh-ash) - Fire of Yahweh
  • Joel - Yahweh is God
  • John/Jonathan - Yahweh is gracious
  • Joktan - Small
  • Jonah - Dove
  • Josiah - Yahweh supports
  • Jotham - Yahweh is perfect
  • Jubal - Stream
  • Judah/Judas - Praise

Names of Famous Male Athletes Starting With J

When choosing a baby boy name that's solid and strong or honors your favorite sport, team, or player, you can turn to famous athletes for inspiration. Look at athlete nicknames and last names to create an uncommon first name for your one-of-a-kind son.

  • Jackie - Baseball player Robinson
  • Javier - Professional soccer player Hernandez
  • Jenner - Last name of former Olympian turned reality star, Caitlyn
  • Jerry - NFL player Rice
  • Jeter - Last name of baseball player Derek
  • Jimmie - NASCAR driver Johnson
  • Jordan - Professional golfer Spieth and last name of iconic basketball great Michael Jordan
  • Julio - NFL player Jones
  • Julius - NBA player Erving

Unique Boy Names Starting With J

As new parents experiment more with names and find new sources of inspiration, it's become more difficult to find a truly unique baby boy name. A look through some unexpected sources might be the key to finding an original moniker for your son. 

Least Popular J Names for Boys

If you look toward the bottom of the top 1000 boy names in the U.S., you'll find some J gems that might be perfect for your little guy. 

  • Jad
  • Jairo
  • Javion
  • Jeremias
  • Jeremy
  • Jericho
  • Jerome
  • Jesiah
  • Jordy
  • Juelz
  • Justus

Cute J Names for Boys Inspired by Books and Movies

Honor your favorite fictional characters by naming your son after them. Books, movies, and TV shows are filled with great name inspiration. Get creative and look beyond the main characters if you want a more original name. There are some great "Ja" boy names to choose from on this list.

Close up of baby boy's face
  • Jabba - Star Wars movies
  • Jackson - Last name of book character Percy
  • Jaime - Lannister from Game of Thrones
  • Jansen - Last name of book character Cam
  • Jareth - The Labyrinth movie
  • Jarvis - Iron Man movies
  • Javert - Inspector from Les Miserables movie
  • Jean-Luc - Picard of Star Trek
  • Jeeves - My Man Jeeves stories
  • Jiminy - Cricket from Pinocchio movie
  • Joffrey - Baratheon from Game of Thrones
  • Joshamee - Gibbs from Pirates of the Caribbean movies
  • Judson - The Librarian movies

J Names for Boys From Video Games

Video game fans can also mine cool and powerful names from their favorite games and franchises. Ideas taken from video games are more likely to be uncommon baby names compared to those inspired by book or movie characters. Video game-based names often reflect different cultures or are fun fantasy finds for parents thinking outside the naming box.

  • Jago - Killer Instinct
  • Jaiden - Yu-gi-oh
  • Jak - Jak and Daxter
  • Jameson - Halo
  • Jedah - Darkstalkers
  • Jet - Wild Arms 3
  • Jin - Tekken
  • Jinpachi - Tekken
  • Jiro - Battle High
  • Jorge - Halo

J Word Names to Use As Boy Names

If the baby name meaning is the most important aspect of your selection, look for meaningful words that you personally connect with. Some of them might easily work as interesting boy names. 

  • Jackal - Wild dog
  • Jag - Tooth on a saw
  • Jezail - Type of musket
  • Jib - Arm of a crane machine
  • Jinx - Gives you bad luck
  • Jivey - Lively
  • Jojoba - Type of shrub
  • Jock/Jocko/Jockey - Male athlete
  • Jonquil - Type of flower
  • Jujitsu - Japanese wrestling form
  • Juku - Type of Japanese school

Try WordList Finder to browse through J word lists to find inspiration too; you'll find lots of regular words that make fantastic J names like Jack, Justice, and Jasper. 

Invented J Names for Baby Boys

Get creative with your J name and invent your own. Browse the top 100 baby boy names and look for names that still work if you replace the first letter with a J.

  • Jamuel - Variant of Samuel
  • Jateo - Variant of Mateo
  • Javid - Variant of David
  • Javin - Variant of Gavin
  • Jiles - Variant of Giles/Miles
  • Joah- Variant of Noah
  • Jogan - Variant of Logan/Rogan
  • Jolton - Variant of Colton
  • Jowen - Variant of Owen
  • Jyan - Variant of Ryan
  • Jylan - Mix of Jaylen and Dylan
  • Jyson - Mix of Jason and Bryson

Popular J Names for Boys From Around the World

Think outside your country to find even more baby name inspiration. If you love the look and sound of exotic baby names, you'll find tons of options in faraway places.

American Baby Boy Names Beginning With J

Common and popular boy names in the U.S. include several classic names and common J names referenced in the Bible. The continued popularity of these monikers proves you can't go wrong with a classic!

Newborn Baby Boy Wearing Football Uniform
  • Jace/Jayce
  • Jasper
  • Jayden
  • Jaxon/Jaxson
  • Jose
  • Joshua
  • Juan
  • Julian
  • Justin

European Baby Boy Names Starting With J

Some of the top baby boy names around Europe are the same as those in America, but these names top the charts only in specific countries.

  • Jac - Wales
  • Jacopo - Italy
  • Jaka - Slovenia
  • Jake - UK
  • Jannik - Germany
  • Jens - Netherlands
  • Joao - Portugal
  • Joep - Netherlands
  • Johannes - Germany
  • Jovan - Serbia
  • Jules - France

Baby Boy Names Beginning With J From Africa and Asia

Finding lists of the top baby names in African and Asian countries can be difficult, but these names have been popular over the last several years.

Baby boy with J letter
  • Jian - China
  • Jie - China
  • Ji-hu/Ji-ho - South Korea
  • Joo-won - South Korea
  • Joon-woo - South Korea
  • Jui-En- Taiwan
  • Jun-seo- South Korea
  • Junior - South Africa

Male Names From Mythology Beginning With J

Give your baby instant fame and notoriety with a strong J name inspired by myths or legends.

  • Jam - (Persian) means "twins"
  • Janus - (Roman) Means "archway"
  • Jarl - (Norse) Means "chieftain"
  • Jayanta - (Hindu) Means "victorious"
  • Jimmu - (Japanese) Divine warrior
  • Jove - (Roman ) Sky father
  • Jupiter - (Roman) another reference/name for Jove, Sky father

Common Middle Boy Names That Start With J

Choosing a middle name is nearly as big of a deal as choosing your son's first name. Consider any of these widely common J middle names to complete your naming adventure.

  • Jack - (English) -"God is gracious"
  • James - "supplanter"
  • Jay - (English) "to rejoice"
  • Joseph - (Hebrew) "he will add"
  • Jude - (Hebrew) "praised"

J Names for Everyone

Choosing a name that starts with J for your little guy can be tricky because there are so many great options to consider before landing on the final one. Consider naming aspects like spelling, pronunciation, and meaning to find the perfect fit for your son.

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150+ Baby Boy Names That Start With J (With Meanings)