Jacolby
A name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Jacob.
Name Census estimates that about 1,528 living Americans carry the first name Jacolby. It is a predominantly male name (99.0% of registrations). The average person named Jacolby today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jacolby births was 1992 (86 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jacolby. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 224,316 Americans
Peak year
1992
86 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,570
Tracked since 1981
Gender
Gender distribution for Jacolby
Out of the 1,557 babies given the name Jacolby since 1880, 99.0% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Jacolby as a male name
- Ranked #8,570 in 2024
- 9 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1992 (81 births)
Jacolby as a female name
- Ranked #14,094 in 1992
- 5 female births in 1992
- Peak: 1986 (5 births)
Popularity
Jacolby: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jacolby from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 522 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jacolby by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Jacolby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jacolbys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, Louisiana, Alabama recorded the most babies named Jacolby, while North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 84 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jacolby
The name Jacolby is a modern English name believed to have originated in the late 20th century. It is a combination of the names Jacob and Colby, with potential influences from other names like Jacoby and Jacomy. The name appears to be a uniquely American creation, not directly derived from any specific language or culture.
While the name's exact origins are unclear, the root name Jacob has a rich history dating back to the Hebrew Bible. Jacob was the name of one of the patriarchs in the Book of Genesis, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, and the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name Jacob is derived from the Hebrew word "ya'aqov," which means "to follow" or "to be behind."
The first recorded instances of the name Jacolby appear to be in the late 20th century, with no known historical references or appearances in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, some notable individuals who have borne the name Jacolby include:
1. Jacolby Satterwhite (born 1986), an American artist and filmmaker known for his digital animations and multimedia installations.
2. Jacolby Criswell (born 1989), an American football defensive end who played for several teams in the National Football League (NFL).
3. Jacolby Shelton (born 1991), an American singer and songwriter who competed on the reality show "X Factor" in 2011.
4. Jacolby Scott (born 1994), an American professional basketball player who played for the University of Notre Dame and several international teams.
5. Jacolby Pemberton (born 1997), an American football linebacker who played for the University of Oregon.
While the name Jacolby is relatively new and its origins are somewhat ambiguous, it has gained popularity in recent decades as a unique and distinctive name choice. Its combination of traditional name elements with a modern twist has likely contributed to its appeal among parents seeking a name that stands out while still maintaining connections to familiar names and cultural roots.
People
Jacolby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jacolby as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jacolby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jacolby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,528 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jacolby going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 224,316 US residents.
Is Jacolby a common name?
We classify Jacolby as "Rare". It ranks above 92.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,557 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jacolby most popular?
The single biggest year for Jacolby was 1992, when 86 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jacolby is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jacolby a male name?
Yes, 99.0% of people registered as Jacolby in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.