Jesed
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "lovingkindness" or "mercy".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Jesed. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jesed today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jesed births was 2019 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jesed. 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 Jesed. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2019
5 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,014
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Jesed: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jesed 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 Jesed 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 Jesed
The given name Jesed is of Hebrew origin, derived from the Hebrew word "chesed," which means "kindness" or "loving-kindness." This name has its roots in ancient Jewish culture and is closely tied to religious and spiritual traditions.
The name Jesed can be traced back to the Bible, where it appears as a concept in various passages. One notable reference is found in the Book of Micah (6:8), where it is mentioned alongside justice and humility as virtues to be upheld. The name is also closely associated with the Kabbalistic concept of the Sephirot, where Chesed (Jesed) represents the divine attribute of loving-kindness and mercy.
The earliest recorded use of the name Jesed dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was occasionally given to Jewish children as a reminder of the importance of kindness and compassion in their faith. However, it remained relatively uncommon until the modern era.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Jesed was Jesed ben Abraham, a Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 12th century in Spain. He is known for his contributions to the study of Jewish law and ethics.
Another notable figure was Jesed Haim, a prominent 18th-century Kabbalist and rabbi from Jerusalem. He authored several influential works on Jewish mysticism and was revered for his spiritual teachings.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals named Jesed was Jesed ben Samuel, a 19th-century Polish-Jewish leader and philanthropist. He was instrumental in establishing educational institutions and supporting charitable causes within the Jewish community.
Jesed ben Yitzhak, a 20th-century Israeli scholar and author, was also a notable bearer of this name. He dedicated his life to the study and preservation of Jewish texts and traditions.
Lastly, Jesed Yisroel Tzipeles, a contemporary Hasidic rabbi and leader, has carried on the legacy of this name. He is known for his teachings on Jewish spirituality and his work in promoting Jewish education.
People
Jesed + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jesed 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
Jesed: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jesed?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jesed 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 Jesed a common name?
We classify Jesed 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 Jesed most popular?
The single biggest year for Jesed was 2019, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jesed is about 7 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 Jesed in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jesed a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jesed 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 Jesed still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jesed 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 Jesed 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 named Jesed?
Find out how many Americans are named Jesed on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.