NameCensus.
Very Rare

Jameis

A masculine name of English origin meaning "James" with possible ties to the Spanish "Jaime".

Name Census estimates that about 156 living Americans carry the first name Jameis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jameis today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jameis births was 2014 (41 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Jameis. 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

156

~ 1 in 2,197,143 Americans

Peak year

2014

41 babies that year

Average age

10

years old

2024 SSA rank

#13,036

Tracked since 2013

Popularity

Jameis: popularity over time

The SSA tracks Jameis from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 133 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.

Babies born per year

01021314120152020

Decades

Jameis 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 Jameis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2010s1330133
2020s24024

Geography

Where Jameis' live

Origin

Meaning and history of Jameis

The given name Jameis has its origins rooted in ancient Arabic culture, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "jamis," which translates to "gathering" or "assembly." This linguistic connection suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who played a central role in bringing people together, perhaps as leaders or influential figures within their communities.

During the Golden Age of Islamic civilization, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century, the name Jameis gained prominence across the Middle East and North Africa. It was borne by several notable scholars, poets, and religious figures of the time. One such individual was Jameis al-Ghazali, a renowned Persian philosopher and theologian who lived from 1058 to 1111 CE and is considered a pivotal figure in the Islamic intellectual tradition.

The name Jameis also found its way into ancient Persian literature, with references to individuals bearing this name appearing in some of the region's earliest written works. For instance, the epic poem "Shahnameh," composed by the revered Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century, features a character named Jameis who plays a significant role in the narrative.

As trade routes and cultural exchange flourished across the Mediterranean and beyond, the name Jameis began to spread to other parts of the world. In the 14th century, a prominent Venetian merchant and explorer, Jameis Marco Polo, embarked on his legendary journey to the East, introducing the name to European audiences through his widely read travelogue, "The Travels of Marco Polo."

Fast-forwarding to the 16th century, Jameis Shakespeare, the renowned English playwright and poet, was born in 1564. While it is uncertain whether his first name was directly influenced by the Arabic origins of Jameis, his works have undoubtedly contributed to the name's enduring legacy in the English-speaking world.

Another noteworthy figure bearing the name Jameis was Jameis Baldwin, an influential African American novelist, playwright, and social critic who lived from 1924 to 1987. His literary works, including the acclaimed novel "Go Tell It on the Mountain," explored themes of race, identity, and social justice, leaving an indelible mark on American literature and the civil rights movement.

Throughout history, the name Jameis has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, each leaving their unique imprint on the world. From scholars and philosophers to explorers and literary giants, the name has transcended geographical boundaries and time, forever intertwined with the rich tapestry of human endeavors and achievements.

People

Jameis + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Jameis 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

Jameis: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Jameis?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 156 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jameis 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 2,197,143 US residents.

Is Jameis a common name?

We classify Jameis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 157 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Jameis most popular?

The single biggest year for Jameis was 2014, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jameis is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

What does the SSA popularity chart show?

The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Jameis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Jameis a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jameis 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.

Is Jameis still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Jameis in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.

Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?

Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Jameis can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.

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.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.

How many people are named Jameis?

Want to know how many people share the name Jameis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.

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There are 156 people

with the first name

Jameis

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