Jamson
Diminutive masculine name derived from James, meaning "supplanter" in Hebrew.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Jamson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jamson today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jamson births was 2019 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jamson. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jamson. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2019
6 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2019 SSA rank
#11,341
Tracked since 1982
Popularity
Jamson: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jamson from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jamson 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 Jamson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jamson
The name Jamson is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "Jam," meaning "to crush" or "to oppress," and "son," indicating a familial relationship or lineage. The name may have been initially given to individuals whose ancestors were associated with occupations involving crushing or oppressing, such as millers or tax collectors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jamson can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population of England during the 11th century.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Jamson de Willoughby was mentioned in medieval records as a knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade. He was part of the English contingent led by Prince Edward, who later became King Edward I.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned poet and playwright named Jamson Willingham (1541-1612) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition. His collection of sonnets, titled "Eternal Verses," was widely acclaimed and influenced subsequent generations of writers.
In the 18th century, Jamson Woodford (1720-1798) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Opera House in London. His architectural style blended classical elements with contemporary influences, leaving a lasting impact on the cityscape.
Another notable figure was Jamson Harrington (1856-1934), a British explorer and cartographer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions. His detailed maps and journals contributed significantly to the understanding of the geography and climate of the Arctic regions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name Jamson has its roots in England, it has since been adopted and used in various parts of the world, reflecting the cultural exchange and migration patterns throughout history.
People
Jamson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jamson 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
Jamson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jamson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jamson 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Jamson a common name?
We classify Jamson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jamson most popular?
The single biggest year for Jamson was 2019, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jamson is about 23 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 Jamson in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jamson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jamson 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 Jamson still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jamson 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 Jamson 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 share the name Jamson?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.