Jassem
A masculine Arabic name meaning "having a big body".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Jassem. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jassem today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jassem births was 2013 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jassem. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Jassem with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jassem. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2013
5 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2013 SSA rank
#12,948
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Jassem: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jassem 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 Jassem 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 Jassem
The name Jassem has its origins in the Arabic language, and it can be traced back to the Middle East region during the early Islamic era. It is derived from the Arabic root word "jasim," which means "large," "great," or "massive." The name is believed to have been used as a descriptive term to signify strength, power, or physical stature.
In the context of Islamic history, the name Jassem is sometimes associated with the Arabic term "al-Jassam," which was used to refer to individuals who possessed a robust or sturdy physique. This connection suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals who were perceived as physically strong or imposing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jassem can be found in historical accounts from the 8th century. During this period, there are mentions of an Arab military commander named Jassem ibn Malik, who played a significant role in the expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Jassem. For instance, Jassem al-Baghdadi (1243-1285) was a renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher from Baghdad who made significant contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics.
In the 15th century, Jassem al-Ansari (1410-1482) was a celebrated poet and writer from the city of Medina. His works focused on themes of love, spirituality, and the beauty of the Arabic language.
During the 19th century, Jassem bin Muhammad Al Thani (1825-1913) was a prominent ruler of Qatar who played a pivotal role in the country's history and the establishment of the Al Thani dynasty.
Another notable figure was Jassem al-Khayyat (1870-1941), a Syrian journalist and political activist who advocated for Arab nationalism and independence from Ottoman rule.
More recently, Jassem Mohammed Jaafar (1927-2004) was a distinguished Iraqi novelist and short story writer, renowned for his contributions to modern Arabic literature and his depictions of life in Iraq during the 20th century.
While these examples showcase the historical and cultural significance of the name Jassem, it is important to note that the name has been used across various regions and communities within the Arabic-speaking world, reflecting its enduring popularity and diverse interpretations over time.
People
Jassem + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jassem 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
Jassem: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jassem?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jassem 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 Jassem a common name?
We classify Jassem 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 Jassem most popular?
The single biggest year for Jassem was 2013, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jassem is about 13 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 Jassem in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jassem a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jassem 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 Jassem still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jassem 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 Jassem 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 Jassem as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people share the name Jassem, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.