Jake
Boy name · #457 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Jake? In official American birth records, Jake has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 682 baby boys were named Jake, placing it at #457 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #207, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,639 boys born in 2025 was named Jake.
The 145-year story
Jake first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 96 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2004, when 4,473 boys were named Jake — good for #98 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 Jake per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jake against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jake in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jake is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jake will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jake is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jake is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jake is most common in NJ (1.3 per 1,000), MS (1 per 1,000), CT (0.9 per 1,000), KS (0.8 per 1,000), NY (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jake is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Jake
Jake belongs to the Jacob family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Jacob family went to about 6,834 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #35, versus #457 for Jake alone.
Names like Jake
Statistically, parents drawn to Jake tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Blake, Drake, Jorge, Josue, and Bryce.
BlakeDrakeJorgeJosueBryceReeceCesarEdgar
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jake | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 682 | #457 |
| 2024 | 748 | #421 |
| 2023 | 782 | #410 |
| 2022 | 790 | #406 |
| 2021 | 969 | #337 |
| 2020 | 1,036 | #320 |
| 2019 | 1,175 | #294 |
| 2018 | 1,379 | #263 |
| 2017 | 1,503 | #249 |
| 2016 | 1,586 | #242 |
| 2015 | 1,922 | #207 |
| 2014 | 2,171 | #190 |
| 2013 | 2,450 | #166 |
| 2012 | 2,679 | #153 |
| 2011 | 3,110 | #129 |
| 2010 | 3,440 | #115 |
| 2009 | 3,386 | #125 |
| 2008 | 3,795 | #111 |
| 2007 | 3,882 | #112 |
| 2006 | 4,028 | #108 |
| 2005 | 4,153 | #103 |
| 2004 | 4,473 | #98 |
| 2003 | 4,406 | #98 |
| 2002 | 3,792 | #102 |
| 2001 | 3,838 | #100 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jake?
In official American birth records, the name Jake first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 96 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jake a popular boy name?
Jake ranked #457 among boys in 2025 with 682 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #207.
When was the name Jake most popular?
Jake peaked in 2004, when 4,473 American boys received the name (ranked #98 that year). Since 2004 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jake?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,639 newborn American boys was named Jake. 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.