Jah

♂ Boy

Pronounced JAH /ˈdʒɑ/High

Meaning: A short form of Yahweh, the name of God; from Hebrew Yah, central to Rastafari usageMedium

In 30 seconds: God's name in a single breath: Jah is the short form of Yahweh — the 'Yah' that ends Hallelujah — and the name of God in Rastafari. Powerful, devotional, and elemental.

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Origin MediumHebrew

MeaningA short form of Yahweh, the name of God; from Hebrew Yah, central to Rastafari usage

U.S. rank (2024)#3475 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births33 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 430

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jah is a short form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God, appearing in the Bible (as in 'Hallelujah', 'praise Jah'). It is central to Rastafari, where Jah names the living God, and was spread worldwide through reggae and the music of Bob Marley.

In the U.S. it appears as a given name and a name-element (Jahmir, Jahari). Rare on its own, divine at the root, and resonant.

Did you know? Every time anyone sings 'Hallelujah', they're saying Jah — the word means 'praise Yah', with Jah the ancient shortened name of God.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name — Jah — etymology

Variations

YahJahh

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Jah Wobble (1958-)
British bassist and musician, co-founder of Public Image Ltd alongside John Lydon
★Jah Cure (1978-)
Jamaican reggae singer known for romantic and conscious reggae music

If you like Jah…

Jahmir— a name built on the Jah- element

Jahari— a fellow Jah- name

Emanuel— a companion 'God with us' name

Cyrus— another short, strong spiritual name

Explore names like Jah

By themehebrew devotional short-and-sweet

By meaningGod / Divine Wisdom

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jah mean?

Jah is a short form of Yahweh, the name of God; it's central to Rastafari.

How do you pronounce Jah?

It's said JAH /ˈdʒɑ/ — a single syllable.

Is Jah a boy or girl name?

Jah is a boy's name.

How popular is Jah?

Jah is a rare name in the U.S.