Jael
Girl name · #1390 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Jael? In official American birth records, Jael has been tracked continuously since 1957, giving it 68 years of documented American history.
Jael ranks #1390 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 157 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1501, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,465 girls born in 2025 was named Jael.
The 68-year story
Jael first appears in the Social Security records in 1957, when 14 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 206 girls were named Jael — good for #1196 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jael per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jael is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Jael is most common in GA (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jael is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jael
Statistically, parents drawn to Jael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yael, Lael, Israel, Izel, and Jiya.
YaelLaelIsraelIzelJiyaIsobelRochelJayde
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 157 | #1388 |
| 2024 | 149 | #1466 |
| 2023 | 134 | #1578 |
| 2022 | 143 | #1515 |
| 2021 | 131 | #1600 |
| 2020 | 127 | #1632 |
| 2019 | 154 | #1441 |
| 2018 | 173 | #1313 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1505 |
| 2016 | 145 | #1545 |
| 2015 | 152 | #1501 |
| 2014 | 159 | #1427 |
| 2013 | 177 | #1321 |
| 2012 | 206 | #1196 |
| 2011 | 156 | #1446 |
| 2010 | 161 | #1420 |
| 2009 | 131 | #1695 |
| 2008 | 167 | #1421 |
| 2007 | 175 | #1381 |
| 2006 | 105 | #1918 |
| 2005 | 87 | #2122 |
| 2004 | 84 | #2135 |
| 2003 | 100 | #1845 |
| 2002 | 94 | #1887 |
| 2001 | 76 | #2151 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jael?
In official American birth records, the name Jael first appeared in 1957 (over 68 years ago), when 14 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 68 years.
Is Jael a popular girl name?
Jael ranked #1390 among girls in 2025 with 157 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1501.
When was the name Jael most popular?
Jael peaked in 2012, when 206 American girls received the name (ranked #1196 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 11,465 newborn American girls was named Jael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.