Jawaun
A masculine name potentially derived from Arabic meaning "powerful" or "strong."
Name Census estimates that about 844 living Americans carry the first name Jawaun. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jawaun today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jawaun births was 1997 (78 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jawaun. 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
844
~ 1 in 406,107 Americans
Peak year
1997
78 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,070
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Jawaun: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jawaun from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 396 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jawaun 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 Jawaun during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jawauns live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Illinois, Maryland, Florida recorded the most babies named Jawaun, while Tennessee, Indiana, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jawaun
The name Jawaun is a variant spelling of the Arabic name Jawan, which has its origins in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran). The name Jawan is derived from the Persian word "javan," meaning "young" or "youth." It gained popularity in the Islamic world during the medieval period, particularly in regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of South Asia.
While the exact origin of the spelling variation "Jawaun" is not entirely clear, it is believed to have emerged as a result of the name's transmission through various languages and cultures over time. Some linguists suggest that the "au" combination in the spelling may reflect the influence of African languages, particularly those spoken in regions where the name was introduced through Arabic or Islamic influences.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jawaun can be found in the writings of Persian poet and philosopher Jalal al-Din Rumi, who lived in the 13th century. Rumi's works, particularly his famous poetic masterpiece, the Masnavi, contain references to individuals named Jawan, which may have been the precursor to the variant spelling Jawaun.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jawaun or its variants. One such person was Jawaun Mendez (1968-2016), an American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for teams like the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers. Another prominent figure was Jawaun Laboo (born 1985), a track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago who competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
In the realm of literature, Jawaun Stinson (born 1988) is an award-winning American author and poet, known for his work exploring themes of identity, race, and social justice. The name has also been carried by Jawaun Harris (born 1992), an American football player who played for various teams in the NFL, including the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jawaun dates back to the 17th century, with Jawaun ibn Hafiz al-Qadiri (1620-1698), a renowned Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic from Ottoman Syria. His writings on spirituality and Islamic jurisprudence had a significant influence on the religious and intellectual landscape of the time.
While the name Jawaun may have originated in ancient Persia and gained prominence in the Islamic world, it has since transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries, finding its place in various communities around the globe. The name's enduring appeal lies in its rich historical roots and the diverse tapestry of individuals who have carried it throughout the centuries.
People
Jawaun + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jawaun 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
Jawaun: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jawaun?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 844 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jawaun 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 406,107 US residents.
Is Jawaun a common name?
We classify Jawaun as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 862 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jawaun most popular?
The single biggest year for Jawaun was 1997, when 78 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jawaun is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jawaun a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jawaun 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.