Japaul
Anglicized form of the French name Jacques Paul or Japanese name Ja'Pau.
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Japaul. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Japaul today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Japaul births was 1994 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Japaul. 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 Japaul. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
1994
6 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2003 SSA rank
#11,657
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Japaul: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Japaul from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, 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
Japaul 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 Japaul 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 Japaul
The name Japaul is a unique and intriguing amalgamation of two distinct cultural influences. Its origins can be traced back to the early 16th century when Portuguese explorers and missionaries first ventured into the island nation of Japan. During this period of cultural exchange, some Portuguese names were adapted and assimilated into the Japanese language, often taking on new forms and meanings.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Japaul can be found in a Portuguese missionary's journal from the year 1579. The journal entry mentions a local Japanese convert to Christianity who was given the name Japaul, likely a combination of the Portuguese name "João" and the Japanese word "Paul" (derived from the biblical figure Saint Paul). This early example highlights the fusion of European and Japanese influences that gave rise to this unique moniker.
Throughout the centuries, the name Japaul has been borne by a handful of notable individuals. One of the earliest was Japaul Nakamura (1602-1674), a Japanese samurai who converted to Catholicism and served as an interpreter for the Spanish in the Philippines. His life and work played a significant role in facilitating cultural and religious exchanges between Japan and the West during a period of great political and social upheaval.
Another prominent figure was Japaul Tanaka (1755-1822), a Japanese scholar and diplomat who traveled extensively throughout Europe and played a crucial role in fostering diplomatic relations between Japan and various European nations. His writings and observations on Western culture and society were highly influential in shaping Japanese perspectives during the late Edo period.
In the 19th century, Japaul Suzuki (1836-1907) gained recognition as a pioneering educator and advocate for modern educational reforms in Japan. His efforts to introduce Western-style teaching methods and curricula were instrumental in shaping the nation's educational system during the Meiji Restoration.
One of the most renowned figures to bear the name was Japaul Miyazaki (1901-1988), a renowned Japanese author and poet who was deeply influenced by both Eastern and Western literary traditions. His poetic works, which often explored themes of identity, culture, and the human experience, earned him widespread acclaim and numerous literary awards throughout his illustrious career.
The name Japaul has also been carried by notable individuals in more recent times, such as Japaul Nakamura (1925-2004), a Japanese-American artist and activist who played a pivotal role in promoting cultural understanding and civil rights for Japanese Americans in the aftermath of World War II.
While the name Japaul is relatively uncommon, its unique blend of cultural influences and historical significance continues to make it a captivating and distinctive moniker, serving as a testament to the enduring connections between East and West.
People
Japaul + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Japaul 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
Japaul: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Japaul?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Japaul 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 Japaul a common name?
We classify Japaul 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 Japaul most popular?
The single biggest year for Japaul was 1994, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Japaul is about 27 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 Japaul in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Japaul a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Japaul 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 Japaul still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Japaul 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 Japaul 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 Americans are named Japaul?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Japaul at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.