Jethroe
Meaning "excellence" or "abundance" in Hebrew.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Jethroe. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jethroe today is around 80 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jethroe births was 1951 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jethroe. 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
- • The typical person named Jethroe is about 80 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Jethroes were born before 1956.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jethroe. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1951
6 babies that year
Average age
80
years old
1951 SSA rank
#3,543
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Jethroe: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jethroe from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 6 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
Jethroe 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 Jethroe 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 Jethroe
The given name Jethroe is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a variant spelling of the name Jethro, which is derived from the Hebrew word "yithrō," meaning "his excellency" or "his abundance."
One of the earliest and most notable references to this name can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible. Jethro was the father-in-law of Moses, who was a Midianite priest. He is mentioned in the book of Exodus, where he provided wise counsel to Moses and advised him on establishing a system of governance and administration.
In the early Christian era, the name Jethroe gained popularity among some communities, particularly in regions with strong biblical influences. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Jethroe of Alexandria, a Christian monk and scholar who lived in the 4th century AD.
During the Middle Ages, the name Jethroe was relatively uncommon, but it did appear sporadically in various parts of Europe. One notable figure from this period was Jethroe the Scribe, a monk who lived in England in the 12th century and was renowned for his calligraphic skills.
In the Renaissance period, the name Jethroe experienced a resurgence, particularly in Italy and other parts of southern Europe. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Jethroe Boccaccio (1313-1375), an Italian writer and poet best known for his work "The Decameron."
Another notable figure was Jethroe Tasso (1544-1595), an Italian poet and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the late Renaissance period. His epic poem "Jerusalem Delivered" is considered a masterpiece of Italian literature.
In the 17th century, the name Jethroe found its way to the American colonies, where it was adopted by some Puritan families. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name in America was Jethroe Bradstreet (1601-1678), a Puritan minister and writer who served in various positions in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Throughout history, the name Jethroe has been relatively uncommon, but it has been borne by a diverse range of individuals, from religious figures and scholars to writers and artists. While its popularity may have waxed and waned over time, it has maintained a rich historical and cultural significance, particularly in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
People
Jethroe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jethroe 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
Jethroe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jethroe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jethroe 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Jethroe a common name?
We classify Jethroe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jethroe most popular?
The single biggest year for Jethroe was 1951, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jethroe is about 80 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 Jethroe in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jethroe a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jethroe 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 Jethroe still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jethroe 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 Jethroe 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 share the name Jethroe?
You can see how many people share the name Jethroe on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.