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Home › Baby Names Directory › Japheth

Japheth

♂ Boy

Pronounced JAY-feth /ˈdʒeɪ.fɛθ/High

Meaning: May he expand, enlarged; one of Noah's three sons, traditional ancestor of distant nationsHigh

In 30 seconds: The least-borrowed of Noah's boys: Japheth — 'may he expand' — was blessed to dwell in spacious tents. While brothers' names sailed into fashion, this one stayed an ark-deep rarity.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningMay he expand, enlarged; one of Noah's three sons, traditional ancestor of distant nations
U.S. rank (2025)#3405 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births34 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,387

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200719702025

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

Japheth was the third of Noah's sons, his Hebrew name a wordplay on 'enlarging, expanding' blessed directly in Genesis; tradition made him the ancestor of the Mediterranean and northern peoples, and 'Japhetic' once labeled whole language families in early scholarship. Puritan Bible-mining gave colonial America its scattered Japheths.

While Shem-descended names dominate Western naming, Japheth itself remained rare — used today in some African Christian communities (Kenyan runners and Nigerian footballers carry it) and by deep-cut biblical revivalists. The nickname Jay brings it to earth.

Did you know? Genesis blesses Japheth with a pun on his own name — 'May God enlarge Japheth' — making him one of the few biblical figures whose name is its own prophecy.
Overall data confidence 85%
Behind the Name — Japheth — etymology

Variations

YafetJafetJaphet

Nicknames

JayFeth

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Japheth…

Ephraim— a fellow patriarch-era rarity ripe for revival
Amos— the short prophetic classic in the same register
Jericho— a biblical place name with modern energy
Boaz— another bold Old Testament deep cut

Explore names like Japheth

By themehebrewbiblicalrare-revival

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Japheth mean?

Japheth is Hebrew for 'may he expand' or 'enlarged' — Genesis blesses him with a pun on his own name.

How do you pronounce Japheth?

It's said JAY-feth /ˈdʒeɪ.fɛθ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Japheth a boy or girl name?

Japheth is a boy's name.

How popular is Japheth?

Japheth is a very rare biblical name in the U.S., steadier in African Christian communities.

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