Jeff
Boy name · #3314 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Jeff? In official American birth records, Jeff has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Jeff is currently the #3314 boy name in the United States — 35 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2001, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 51,429 boys born in 2025 was named Jeff.
The 145-year story
Jeff first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 66 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 9,463 boys were named Jeff — good for #49 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Jeff per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jeff against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jeff in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jeff is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jeff will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jeff is most common
State-level data for Jeff is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Jeff
Statistically, parents drawn to Jeff tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jim, Tim, Rick, Matt, and Ken.
JimTimRickMattKenCaryWardCliff
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jeff | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | #3314 |
| 2024 | 43 | #2915 |
| 2023 | 35 | #3347 |
| 2022 | 46 | #2793 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2410 |
| 2020 | 43 | #2806 |
| 2019 | 53 | #2491 |
| 2018 | 67 | #2101 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2240 |
| 2016 | 58 | #2278 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2001 |
| 2014 | 100 | #1576 |
| 2013 | 80 | #1794 |
| 2012 | 78 | #1863 |
| 2011 | 90 | #1666 |
| 2010 | 113 | #1456 |
| 2009 | 128 | #1347 |
| 2008 | 142 | #1227 |
| 2007 | 161 | #1120 |
| 2006 | 141 | #1190 |
| 2005 | 130 | #1216 |
| 2004 | 163 | #1011 |
| 2003 | 156 | #1012 |
| 2002 | 162 | #973 |
| 2001 | 171 | #912 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jeff?
In official American birth records, the name Jeff first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 66 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jeff a popular boy name?
Jeff ranked #3314 among boys in 2025 with 35 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2001.
When was the name Jeff most popular?
Jeff peaked in 1961, when 9,463 American boys received the name (ranked #49 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jeff?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 51,429 newborn American boys was named Jeff. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.