Total births
305
Unisex name · since 1971
Ja
Ja has 305 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1999 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9179
- among boys today
- 305
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
305 babies have been named Ja since 1971, making it today's #9179 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ja has been recorded 305 times among boys since 1971, currently ranked #9179 nationally and more common than 36% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1971 to 2025.
- #9179 among boys today
- 305 born since 1971
- 2000s peak decade
- 36% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ja is currently the #9179 unisex name in America, more common than 36% of boys - 305 born since 1971, peaking in the 2000s.
- #9179
- among boys today
- 305
- born since 1971
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 36%
- more common than other boys
Ja vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9179
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 36% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Ja was born in this single decade.
1999
Single peak year
20 babies were named Ja in 1999 - its busiest year on record.
How Ja compares
305 46th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ja's all-time total is 17% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ja | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 305 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 20 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ja's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ja's SSA record in two at 1995 and the more recent half accounts for 57% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 43%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1974, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1999 peak of 20, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ja at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1999
Current rank
#9,179
Active since
1971
Ja popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2025
- Peak year (1999)
- 20
- Annual births at peak, across 55 years of records
Ja popularity over time - girls
136 total births recorded since 1957 (Ja as girls' name)
Ja by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Ja's strongest decade.
78 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Ja births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
44 births
- 1980s
1980s
61 births
- 1990s
1990s
75 births
- 2000s
2000s
78 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
- 2020s
2020s
36 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 78 births (26% of all-time use).
Ja by state
Where Ja concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ja? ▼
Ja has been given to 305 babies in the U.S. since 1971, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #9179 as of the latest data. 20 babies were born in 1999, its single highest year.
When was Ja most popular? ▼
Ja was most popular in the 2000s decade with 78 total births. The single peak year was 1999.
Where is Ja most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ja are Colorado (8 births), Virginia (6 births).
Is Ja a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ja is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 305 births, and as a girl's name it has 136 births.
How long has the name Ja been used? ▼
Ja has been recorded in Social Security data since 1971, spanning 55 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ja? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include James, Jason, Jacob, Jack, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ja's data
- Ja's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (78 total births) through the 2020s (36) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Colorado records the most Jas (8 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Colorado names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ja
Nearby Names Like Ja
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ja
James Boy
#5 5,250,638 births
Jason Boy
#148 1,052,030 births
Jacob Boy
#40 988,227 births
Jack Boy
#15 756,943 births
Jackson Boy
#35 297,220 births
Compare Ja side by side: Ja vs James Ja vs Jason Ja vs Jacob
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ja
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1971–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ja: #9179 Unisex Name - 305 Births, Peak 1999." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ja. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ja draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.