Jarvas
An Arabic name derived from "jarvah" signifying strength or endurance.
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Jarvas. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jarvas today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jarvas births was 1978 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jarvas. 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 Jarvas. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1978
5 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
1993 SSA rank
#9,349
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Jarvas: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jarvas from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 10 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
Jarvas 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 Jarvas 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 Jarvas
The given name Jarvas is of uncertain origin, with no clear consensus among scholars on its linguistic roots or cultural background. Some linguists have suggested that it could be a variant of the Slavic name Jaroslav, which means "glorious ruler" or "renowned leader." Others have speculated that it might be derived from the Sanskrit word "jarva," meaning "to consume" or "to devour," possibly indicating a connection to ancient Indian traditions or mythology.
Despite the lack of definitive historical records, there are a few intriguing references to the name Jarvas scattered throughout various texts and chronicles. In the 12th century, a Benedictine monk named Jarvas was mentioned in the annals of the Abbey of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. He was renowned for his expertise in herbal remedies and his dedication to the monastery's infirmary.
The name also appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the Iberian Peninsula, where a nobleman named Jarvas de Castilla is recorded as a prominent figure during the reign of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1312-1350). However, the details of his life and accomplishments have been lost to time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Jarvas was a Persian poet and mystic who lived in the 9th century AD. Known simply as Jarvas al-Rumi, he was celebrated for his intricate ghazals and his deep spiritual insights. Unfortunately, only fragments of his work have survived to the present day.
In the 16th century, a Dutch navigator named Jarvas van der Meer gained fame for his daring explorations of the East Indies. His detailed maps and logs were instrumental in facilitating trade routes and expanding the Dutch colonial empire in the region.
Another notable figure was Jarvas Koskinen, a Finnish statesman and diplomat who lived from 1830 to 1904. He played a pivotal role in negotiating Finland's autonomy within the Russian Empire and was a staunch advocate for Finnish nationalism and cultural preservation.
While the name Jarvas may have ancient origins shrouded in mystery, these historical figures have left their mark on the tapestry of human civilization, each contributing to their respective fields and leaving a lasting legacy.
People
Jarvas + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jarvas 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
Jarvas: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jarvas?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jarvas 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Jarvas a common name?
We classify Jarvas as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jarvas most popular?
The single biggest year for Jarvas was 1978, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jarvas is about 40 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 Jarvas in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jarvas a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jarvas 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 Jarvas still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jarvas 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 Jarvas 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 called Jarvas?
You can see how many people share the name Jarvas on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.