Japhet
Of Biblical Hebrew origin meaning "enlarged, extension".
Name Census estimates that about 266 living Americans carry the first name Japhet. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Japhet today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Japhet births was 2015 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Japhet. 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
266
~ 1 in 1,288,550 Americans
Peak year
2015
16 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,045
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Japhet: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Japhet from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 101 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Japhet remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Japhet 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 Japhet during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Japhets live
Origin
Meaning and history of Japhet
The name Japhet is of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical figure Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah mentioned in the Book of Genesis. It is believed to have emerged around the 7th century BCE. The name is thought to stem from the Hebrew root "yâphat," meaning "to be fair" or "to be beautiful."
In the biblical narrative, Japheth and his brothers, Shem and Ham, are credited with repopulating the earth after the Great Flood. According to Genesis 9:27, Japheth was blessed by his father, Noah, with the prophetic words: "May God extend Japheth's territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant."
The name Japhet gained prominence within Judeo-Christian traditions and was later adopted by various cultures influenced by these religious texts. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentioned a Persian king named Iapetus in the 5th century BCE.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Japhet. In the 4th century CE, Japhet of Mtskheta was a revered Christian monk and religious figure in Georgia. In the 16th century, Japhet Sokolli was a Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, known for his military campaigns and diplomatic efforts.
Another notable bearer of the name was Japhet Crook (c. 1770-1847), an English engraver and illustrator who contributed to various publications during the Georgian era. In the 19th century, Japhet Alejandre (1820-1898) was a renowned Filipino painter and sculptor, celebrated for his religious artwork and portraiture.
During the 20th century, Japhet Amador (1912-1986) was a Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist, known for his efforts to improve working conditions and secure rights for farm workers in the United States.
While the name Japhet has its roots in ancient Hebrew and biblical traditions, it has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries, appearing throughout history in various forms and contexts. Its enduring presence reflects the lasting influence of religious narratives and the universal appeal of names with symbolic meanings.
People
Japhet + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Japhet 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
Japhet: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Japhet?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 266 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Japhet 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 1,288,550 US residents.
Is Japhet a common name?
We classify Japhet as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 270 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Japhet most popular?
The single biggest year for Japhet was 2015, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Japhet is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Japhet a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Japhet 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.