Jarai
An uncommon given name of Southeast Asian origin meaning "mountainous".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Jarai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jarai today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jarai births was 2010 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jarai. 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 Jarai. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2010
5 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2010 SSA rank
#13,108
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Jarai: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jarai 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 Jarai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Jarai
The name Jarai has its origins in the indigenous Jarai people, an ethnic minority group residing primarily in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and parts of northeastern Cambodia. The name is derived from the Jarai language, a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by the Jarai people.
The Jarai people have a rich cultural heritage dating back centuries, and their name carries significance within their traditions and beliefs. The name itself is believed to have roots in ancient Jarai words or phrases, although the exact etymology remains uncertain.
While there are no definitive historical references to the name Jarai in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been documented in various ethnographic studies and records related to the Jarai people. The earliest recorded examples of the name can be traced back to the 19th century, when French colonists and missionaries began documenting the indigenous communities of the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jarai. One of the earliest documented figures was Jarai Drang, a respected Jarai leader and village chief who lived in the late 19th century and played a significant role in preserving Jarai cultural traditions during the French colonial period.
Another notable figure was Jarai Yok, a renowned Jarai shaman and spiritual leader in the early 20th century, known for her extensive knowledge of traditional healing practices and her influence in the Jarai community.
In more recent times, Jarai Rap Bun, born in 1935, gained recognition as a prominent Jarai author and activist, advocating for the rights and preservation of indigenous cultures in Vietnam.
Jarai Anh Khoa, born in 1968, is a celebrated Jarai artist and sculptor, whose works have been exhibited internationally and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Jarai people.
Lastly, Jarai Romduol, born in 1980, is a renowned Jarai musician and composer, who has helped revive and popularize traditional Jarai music while incorporating modern influences.
These individuals, among others, have carried the name Jarai throughout history, representing the cultural richness and resilience of the Jarai people.
People
Jarai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jarai 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
Jarai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jarai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jarai 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Jarai a common name?
We classify Jarai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jarai most popular?
The single biggest year for Jarai was 2010, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jarai is about 16 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 Jarai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jarai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jarai 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 Jarai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jarai 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 Jarai 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 have the name Jarai?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Jarai, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.