Jones
Jones was the 811th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 306 babies. Its best year was 1884, when it ranked 533rd; the most babies were born in 2025 (306). Over the last ten years it has moved up 724 places. More babies were named Jones in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning son of John · English, Welsh, Hebrew
Say it JOHNZ /dʒoʊnz/
- Rank in 2025
- #811 boys, up 136 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 306boys
- Girls and boys
- 6% girls, 94% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025306 babies
- Total since 1880
- 5,495babies recorded
What does the name Jones mean?
Jones is an English and Welsh surname meaning "son of John": Wiktionary and Wikipedia derive it from Jone, a medieval form of John, with the possessive ending -s. In Wales it replaced the patronymic ap Siôn, "son of John", and it is now the most common surname there. John comes through Greek from Hebrew Yochanan, which DMNES glosses "graced by God". As a first name Jones is a recent transfer from the surname.
Jone (Middle English, “form of John”)יוֹחָנָן (Hebrew, “graced by God”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: John, Johns.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Jones', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Jones (surname)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'John', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
Jones popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,033 | #811 | 26 | 306 |
| 2020 | #7,741 | #947 | 14 | 232 |
| 2010 | — | #2,489 | — | 50 |
| 2000 | — | #5,168 | — | 14 |
| 1990 | — | #8,759 | — | 5 |
| 1980 | — | #3,174 | — | 14 |
| 1970 | — | #3,398 | — | 9 |
| 1960 | — | #1,793 | — | 21 |
| 1950 | — | #1,354 | — | 29 |
| 1940 | — | #1,299 | — | 27 |
| 1930 | — | #1,100 | — | 40 |
| 1920 | — | #905 | — | 58 |
| 1910 | — | #900 | — | 13 |
| 1900 | — | #1,239 | — | 6 |
| 1890 | — | #784 | — | 8 |
| 1880 | — | #660 | — | 9 |
How popular is Jones, counting every spelling?
Jones has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #791 for boys in 2025, against #811 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Jones?
306 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Jones (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Jones born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 27 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Jones.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Jones?
About 3,600 people born in the US named Jones are alive today, with a median age of 8; half are between 4 and 19. That makes Jones a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Jones by state
How common Jones was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (7.3×), Iowa (2.6×), Alabama (2.2×), Minnesota (2.2×), Colorado (2.2×). In 23 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Jones: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Jones, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Jones · Sibling names for Jones
Questions about the name Jones
What does Jones mean?
Jones means “son of John” (English, Welsh, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Jones?
Jones was the 811th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 306 babies. Its best year was 1884, when it ranked 533rd; the most babies were born in 2025 (306). Over the last ten years it has moved up 724 places. More babies were named Jones in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Jones a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 6% girls, 94% boys given the name Jones in the US.
Where is Jones most popular?
In 2021–2025, Jones was most common in Utah (1.11 per 1,000 boys), followed by Iowa and Alabama.