Jeptha
A boy's name of Hebrew origin with 290 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Jeptha sits in the still in active use zone of American naming: first recorded in 1883, peaking in 1924, with 290 total births across its history.
The open, warm quality of its ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries — keeps the name compact and easy to pair with longer middle names or surnames.
In the most recent SSA release, Jeptha ranks #11521 among U.S. boy names — distinctive enough to stand out.
Jeptha is a boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, a variant spelling of Jephthah, meaning 'God will open' or 'he opens.'
Jephthah appears in the Book of Judges as a military leader who made a tragic vow to God before battle. The name was carried by Puritan settlers to America in the 17th century, where it had occasional use through the 19th century. Jeptha's streamlined spelling makes it slightly more approachable than the biblical original.
EtymologyShow more
Though Jeptha dates back to 1883 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.
With only 290 recorded births, Jeptha has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Jeptha has 41+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1883.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 26 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 21 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 5 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 16 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 11 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 6 | — |
| 1950s | 6 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 31 | — |
| 1930s | 34 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 81 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 42 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 11 | — |
The Story of Jeptha
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1924, Jeptha is a name steeped in history. Boys named Jeptha are most likely born between 1914 and 1934.
How rare is Jeptha?
Only about 1 in every 600,000 babies born in 2024 was named Jeptha — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1883, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 81 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Jeptha by the numbers
- Would fill 6 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(41 years, 1883–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | #11521 |
| 2023 | 6 | #11442 |
| 2021 | 8 | #9208 |
| 2020 | 6 | #11210 |
| 2019 | 7 | #10222 |
| 2015 | 8 | #9118 |
| 2014 | 6 | #11352 |
| 1996 | 5 | #9675 |
| 1989 | 5 | #8478 |
| 1987 | 5 | #7491 |
| 1980 | 6 | #5864 |
| 1972 | 5 | #5324 |
| 1970 | 6 | #4477 |
| 1963 | 6 | #3820 |
| 1957 | 6 | #3758 |
| 1947 | 7 | #3224 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3535 |
| 1944 | 6 | #3281 |
| 1942 | 8 | #2808 |
| 1941 | 5 | #3762 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jeptha a boy's or girl's name?
When was Jeptha most popular?
How popular is the name Jeptha?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1883–2024