Total births
4,561
Unisex name · since 1957
Jael
Jael has 4,561 recorded births since 1957 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2012 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1470
- among girls today
- 4,561
- born since 1957
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other girls
Jael currently ranks #1470 among unisex names in America, with 4,561 babies recorded since 1957.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Jael has been recorded 4,561 times among girls since 1957, currently ranked #1470 nationally and more common than 92% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1957 to 2025.
- #1470 among girls today
- 4,561 born since 1957
- 2010s peak decade
- 92% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Jael is currently the #1470 unisex name in America, more common than 92% of girls - 4,561 born since 1957, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1470
- among girls today
- 4,561
- born since 1957
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other girls
Jael vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1470
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 92% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
36% of everyone ever named Jael was born in this single decade.
2012
Single peak year
206 babies were named Jael in 2012 - its busiest year on record.
How Jael compares
4,561 Top 14% higher than 86% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Jael's all-time total is 12x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jael | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,561 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 206 | 48 | 19,840 |
Jael's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Jael's full recorded timeline at 1996, 84% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 16% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1965, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2012 peak of 206 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Jael at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2012
Current rank
#1,470
Active since
1957
Jael popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1957–2025
- Peak year (2012)
- 206
- Annual births at peak, across 69 years of records
Jael popularity over time - boys
3,387 total births recorded since 1979 (Jael as boys' name)
Jael by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Jael's strongest decade.
1,630 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Jael births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 14
1950s
14 births
- 1960s 25
1960s
25 births
- 1970s 156
1970s
156 births
- 1980s 279
1980s
279 births
- 1990s 510
1990s
510 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,106 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,630 births
- 2020s
2020s
841 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 1,630 births (36% of all-time use).
How Jael compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Jael's total volume
Jael vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Jael by state
Where Jael concentrates geographically, total births since 1957
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 510 | 11.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 417 | 9.1% |
| #3 | Florida | | 321 | 7.0% |
| #4 | New York | | 292 | 6.4% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 156 | 3.4% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 117 | 2.6% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 109 | 2.4% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 103 | 2.3% |
California share of Jael's total US births 11.2%
Even split
510 of 4,561 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Jael appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jael? ▼
Since 1957, Social Security records show 4,561 babies named Jael. Today it holds rank #1470 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2012, with 206 births.
When was Jael most popular? ▼
Jael was most popular in the 2010s decade with 1,630 total births. The single peak year was 2012.
Where is Jael most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jael are California (510 births), Texas (417 births), Florida (321 births).
Is Jael a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Jael is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 4,561 births, and as a boy's name it has 3,387 births.
How long has the name Jael been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Jael since 1957 -- 69 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Jael? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Jaelyn, Jaelynn, Jaela, Jaeda, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Jael's data
- Jael's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (1,630 total births) through the 2020s (841) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Jaels (510 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Jael
Nearby Names Like Jael
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jael
Jaelyn Girl
#1563 14,201 births
Jaelynn Girl
#1565 9,354 births
Jaela Girl
#5064 2,725 births
Jaeda Girl
#7375 2,656 births
Jaedyn Girl
#7780 2,599 births
Compare Jael side by side: Jael vs Jaelyn Jael vs Jaelynn Jael vs Jaela
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jael
Noelia #1469
7,655 births · Peak 2006
Aislinn #1471
5,521 births · Peak 2018
Rosalind #1468
27,136 births · Peak 1965
Aimee #1472
54,685 births · Peak 1977
Anita #1467
215,165 births · Peak 1957
Marcela #1473
8,955 births · Peak 1999
Louella #1466
13,958 births · Peak 1932
Cherish #1474
11,352 births · Peak 2007
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, 1957–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jael: #1470 Unisex Name - 4,561 Births, Peak 2012." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jael. 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 Jael 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.