Find out how popular the first name Jael has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Jael by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Jael is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 57% of people named Jael being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 147 male babies and 132 female babies born with the name Jael.

It's also interesting to see that despite Jael being historically a mostly female name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more male babies being named Jael.

The history of the first name Jael

The name Jael has its origins in Hebrew culture and language. It is derived from the Hebrew word "ya'el" which means "mountain goat" or "ibex." The name likely emerged in ancient times when Hebrew was a commonly spoken language in the region of Canaan, which is located in modern-day Israel and the surrounding areas.

One of the earliest known references to the name Jael comes from the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible. In this text, Jael is depicted as a heroic woman who kills the Canaanite military leader Sisera by driving a tent peg through his temple while he was asleep. This story is believed to have taken place around the 12th century BCE.

The first recorded individual to bear the name Jael was likely Jael, the biblical figure from the Book of Judges. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time period when the name began to be used more widely.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Jael. One example is Jael van Gent, a Dutch Golden Age painter who lived from around 1636 to 1689. She was known for her still life paintings and worked in the city of Haarlem.

Another person named Jael was Jael Palsor, an American stage actress who was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was born in 1870 and is remembered for her performances in various Broadway productions.

In the 20th century, Jael Bahary was a prominent Yemeni-Israeli politician and activist. She was born in 1935 and played a significant role in advocating for the rights of Jewish immigrants from Yemen in Israel.

Jael Moudiappanadin was a French writer and poet from Mauritius who lived from 1929 to 2017. She wrote extensively about the experience of being a woman of Indian descent in Mauritius and explored themes of identity and cultural heritage in her work.

Another notable individual named Jael was Jael Henríquez, a Chilean writer and academic who was born in 1946. She has published several books and has been recognized for her contributions to literature and women's studies in Chile.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Jael was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jael, please contact us.

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