Justis
Derived from Latin, meaning "just" or "upright."
Name Census estimates that about 1,890 living Americans carry the first name Justis. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 77.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Justis today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Justis births was 1995 (123 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Justis. 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
1.9K
~ 1 in 181,352 Americans
Peak year
1995
123 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,577
Tracked since 1975
Gender
Gender distribution for Justis
Justis is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,924 total registrations, 1,492 (77.5%) were male and 432 (22.5%) were female.
Justis as a male name
- Ranked #11,577 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (90 births)
Justis as a female name
- Ranked #14,215 in 2020
- 6 female births in 2020
- Peak: 1995 (37 births)
Popularity
Justis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Justis 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 750 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
Justis 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 Justis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Justis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Justis, while Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Justis
The name Justis has its origins in the Latin language, where it is derived from the word "justus," meaning "just" or "righteous." This name has been in use for over two millennia, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to ancient Roman times.
In the early days of Christianity, Justis was a name given to individuals who were perceived as upholding the virtues of justice and righteousness. It was often bestowed upon those who dedicated their lives to the service of God and the pursuit of moral integrity.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Justis was Saint Justus, a Roman Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. He was executed during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian for refusing to renounce his faith.
Another notable figure with the name Justis was Justus of Ghent, a Flemish Renaissance painter and manuscript illuminator who lived from approximately 1430 to 1480. He is renowned for his masterful illuminated manuscripts, which are now housed in various museums and libraries across Europe.
During the Middle Ages, the name Justis gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes, who often chose names with religious or moral connotations for their children. One such individual was Justis of Lübeck, a German nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade under the leadership of Richard the Lionheart in the late 12th century.
In the 16th century, the name Justis was borne by Justus Jonas, a German Lutheran reformer and close associate of Martin Luther. He played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation and was a prolific writer and translator of religious texts.
Another notable bearer of the name Justis was Justus Lipsius, a Flemish philosopher, and humanist who lived from 1547 to 1606. He was a renowned scholar and writer who made significant contributions to the fields of philology, philosophy, and political theory.
Throughout history, the name Justis has been associated with individuals who have embodied the virtues of justice, righteousness, and moral fortitude. While its popularity has waxed and waned over the centuries, it remains a name that carries a rich legacy and a strong connection to the ideals of fairness and integrity.
People
Justis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Justis 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
Justis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Justis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,890 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Justis 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 181,352 US residents.
Is Justis a common name?
We classify Justis as "Rare". It ranks above 93.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,924 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Justis most popular?
The single biggest year for Justis was 1995, when 123 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Justis is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Justis a male name?
Yes, 77.5% of people registered as Justis 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.