Jonsi
A Scandinavian diminutive of Jonas or Jonathan, derived from Hebrew meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Jonsi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jonsi today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jonsi births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jonsi. 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 Jonsi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,990
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Jonsi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jonsi 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 Jonsi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Jonsi
The name Jonsi has its origins in Old Norse, the language spoken by the Vikings and ancient Scandinavian people. It is a diminutive form of the name Jon, which itself is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." The name was particularly popular among the Icelandic and Faroese communities during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jonsi can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of literary works from the 13th century. In the Saga of Grettir the Strong, a character named Jonsi is mentioned as a companion of the legendary Icelandic outlaw and hero, Grettir.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jonsi. In the 14th century, Jonsi Egilsson (c. 1330-1388) was an influential Icelandic chieftain and lawspeaker, serving as the president of the Althing, the national parliament of Iceland.
Another notable Jonsi was Jonsi Thoroddsen (1818-1868), a Faroese poet and linguist who played a significant role in the preservation and promotion of the Faroese language and culture. His works, including the epic poem "Regin smiður," are considered seminal contributions to Faroese literature.
In the realm of music, Jonsi Birgisson (born 1975) is a renowned Icelandic musician, best known as the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of the indie rock band Sigur Rós. His unique vocal style and atmospheric compositions have garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated global following.
Jonsi Lolnæs (1893-1983) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator, celebrated for his vibrant and expressive works depicting landscapes and everyday life in Norway. His paintings are held in prestigious collections, including the National Gallery of Norway.
Throughout the centuries, the name Jonsi has maintained its presence and significance, particularly in the Nordic regions, serving as a link to the rich cultural heritage and traditions of these lands.
People
Jonsi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jonsi 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
Jonsi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jonsi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jonsi 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 Jonsi a common name?
We classify Jonsi 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 Jonsi most popular?
The single biggest year for Jonsi was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jonsi is about 6 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 Jonsi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jonsi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jonsi 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 Jonsi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jonsi 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 Jonsi 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 Jonsi?
Want to know how many people have the name Jonsi? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.