Home › Baby Names Directory › Jairus

Jairus

♂ Boy

Pronounced JY-rus /ˈdʒaɪ.rəs/High

Meaning: From Hebrew Yair, 'he enlightens' or 'whom God enlightens'; a New Testament figure whose daughter Jesus raisedMedium

In 30 seconds: He whom God enlightens: Jairus is the Gospel synagogue leader whose daughter Jesus raised from death. A name of light and faith, scriptural and luminous, with a soft modern sound.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighHebrew

MeaningFrom Hebrew Yair, 'he enlightens' or 'whom God enlightens'; a New Testament figure whose daughter Jesus raised

U.S. rank (2025)#2622 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births50 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,741

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

Jairus comes from Hebrew Yair, 'he enlightens' or 'whom God enlightens'. In the New Testament, Jairus is a synagogue leader whose young daughter Jesus restores to life. A luminous, faith-filled name with a gentle modern ring.

In the U.S. it appears in devout and varied families. Rare, enlightening at the root, and luminous.

Did you know? In the Gospels, Jairus begged Jesus to heal his dying daughter — and the story of her being raised ('Talitha koum', 'little girl, arise') is one of the New Testament's tenderest miracles.

Overall data confidence 82%

Behind the Name — Jairus — etymology

Variations

JairYairJairo

Nicknames

Jai

Famous Bearers

★Jairus (biblical)
Synagogue leader in the New Testament whose daughter Jesus is said to have raised
★Jairus Byrd (1986-)
American former NFL safety who played for the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints

If you like Jairus…

Jair— the shorter form of the same root

Jairo— the Spanish form

Yair— the Hebrew source name

Cyrus— a fellow -rus biblical/light name

Explore names like Jairus

By themehebrew biblical light

By meaningGod / Divine Wind / Air

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jairus mean?

Jairus is Hebrew for 'he enlightens' or 'whom God enlightens', a New Testament figure.

How do you pronounce Jairus?

It's said JY-rus /ˈdʒaɪ.rəs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jairus a boy or girl name?

Jairus is a boy's name.

How popular is Jairus?

Jairus is a rare name in the U.S.