NamesPop

Jehu

A boy's name of Hebrew origin with 1,028 recorded U.S. births.

Boy's name#3349 in 2024Rising fast

Meaning & Origin

A king of Israel in the 9th century B.C.

Jehu is a boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, meaning 'Yahweh is He' or 'He is God,' from the Hebrew Yehu.

In the Old Testament, Jehu was a fierce military commander who rose to become King of Israel in the 9th century BCE, known for driving his chariot at furious speed — which gave English the expression 'drive like Jehu.' It's a bold, uncommon biblical name with real historical drama behind it.

EtymologyShow more

Though Jehu dates back to 1914 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Hebrew classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.

Jehu’s 1,028 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.

At a Glance

1,028
Total births
Since 1914
2024
Peak
35 births
1914
First recorded
111 years of data
Compare Jehu with another name

Popularity Over Time

Jehu climbed 987 spots in the last 20 years — from #4336 to #3349.

09182635192019401960198020002024
First appeared: 1914Peak: 2024 (35 births)Current: #3349

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Jehu
DecadeBirthsAvg RankTrend
2020s122#4410
2010s258#4112
2000s247#3820
1990s127#5161
1980s86#5151
1970s29#4681
1950s20#3496
1940s21#3658
1930s29#3178
1920s55#3403
1910s34#3498

The Story of Jehu

A Gen Alpha name

Peaking in 2024, Jehu is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Jehu are most likely born between 2014 and 2024.

How rare is Jehu?

Only about 1 in every 102,857 babies born in 2024 was named Jehu — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1914, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2010s with 258 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.

Jehu by the numbers

  • Would fill 21 school buses
  • Meeting one Jehu per day would take 2.8 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(72 years, 19142024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Jehu
YearBirthsRank
202435#3349
202325#4266
202217#5524
202123#4431
202022#4479
201932#3525
201818#5189
201725#4165
201622#4535
201533#3397
201425#4062
201330#3536
201223#4312
201131#3470
201019#4928
200928#3770
200828#3782
200732#3405
200623#4147
200528#3488

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jehu a boy's or girl's name?
Jehu is primarily a boy's name.
When was Jehu most popular?
Jehu reached its peak popularity in 2024 with 35 births that year. It is currently ranked #3349 in the U.S.
How popular is the name Jehu?
Jehu is currently ranked #3349 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 1,028 babies since 1914.

Explore More

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 19142024