Jairo

♂ Boy

Pronounced HY-roh /ˈhaɪ.roʊ/High

Meaning: Spanish form of Jair (Hebrew Ya'ir), composed of ya (God) and or (light, to shine); meaning God enlightens or He (God) will illuminate; the name of a judge in the Old Testament and of a synagogue leader in the New TestamentHigh

In 30 seconds: Jairo is the Spanish form of the Hebrew biblical name Jair, meaning God enlightens or he who shines, carried by both a Judge of Israel in the Old Testament and the synagogue ruler whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead in the New Testament.

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Origin HighHebrew, Spanish

MeaningSpanish form of Jair (Hebrew Ya'ir), composed of ya (God) and or (light, to shine); meaning God enlightens or He (God) will illuminate; the name of a judge in the Old Testament and of a synagogue leader in the New Testament

U.S. rank (2025)#935 → Stable

2025 U.S. births251 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2008

Total births (all-time)≈ 11,480

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

Jairo is the Spanish form of Hebrew Ya'ir (also Jair), composed of ya (a form of the divine name) and or (light, to shine), meaning God enlightens or he shines. In the Old Testament Jair was a judge of Israel for 22 years (Judges 10:3), and the name appears for several other figures. In the New Testament (Mark 5:22, Luke 8:41), Jairus is the leader of a synagogue who approaches Jesus asking him to heal his dying daughter — a story that ends with Jesus raising her from the dead.

Jairo has been a consistent given name across Spain and Latin America for centuries, used particularly in Catholic communities drawn to its New Testament narrative. In the United States it is used primarily within Hispanic communities — Mexican-American, Central American, and South American — where Spanish biblical names are common. The name is pronounced HY-roh in Spanish (the j is silent), which requires some adjustment for English speakers. It sits alongside Julio, Javier, and Josue as a distinctly Spanish-pronunciation biblical name.

Did you know? The biblical story of Jairo (Jairus) contains one of Jesus's most dramatic miracles — bringing a 12-year-old girl back to life after she had died — and also one of his most intimate recorded phrases: Talitha cumi (Little girl, I say to you, get up), making the name Jairo connected to both grief and miraculous hope.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name — Jairo — Spanish form and Hebrew etymology

Variations

JairJairusYair

Nicknames

Jai

Famous Bearers

★Jairo Aguirre (1956-)
Colombian former professional footballer
★Jairo Arrieta (1983-)
Costa Rican professional footballer
★Jairo Samperio (1993-)
Spanish professional footballer

If you like Jairo…

Jair— the Hebrew biblical form of the same name with identical meaning

Josue— Spanish form of Joshua with the same Spanish-community biblical name character

Ezequiel— Spanish form of Ezekiel with comparable Old Testament prophetic heritage in Latino naming

Jethro— lands in the same popularity range

Pedro— a fellow Spanish choice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jairo mean?

Jairo is the Spanish form of Hebrew Jair, meaning God enlightens or he shines — from ya (God) and or (light).

How do you pronounce Jairo?

In Spanish it is said HY-roh — two syllables, with the j pronounced as an h. Stress is on the first syllable.

Who was Jairo (Jairus) in the Bible?

Jairus was a synagogue leader in the New Testament who asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter; Jesus raised her from the dead after she had already died.

Is Jairo a Spanish name?

Yes, Jairo is the Spanish form of the Hebrew biblical name Jair and is used across Spanish-speaking countries.