Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Jehu

Jehu

♂ Boy

Pronounced JEE-hyoo /ˈdʒi.hju/High

Meaning: Yahweh is he; the king of Israel famed for driving his chariot 'furiously' in the book of KingsHigh

In 30 seconds: The Bible's original speed demon: Jehu — 'Yahweh is he' — drove his chariot so hard that for centuries his name meant a reckless driver. Scripture with a tachometer.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighHebrew
MeaningYahweh is he; the king of Israel famed for driving his chariot 'furiously' in the book of Kings
U.S. rank (2025)#3610 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births31 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2024
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,059

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202419142025

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

Jehu is Hebrew 'Yahweh is he', the army commander anointed at Elisha's order who seized Israel's throne in a storm of wheels — the watchman's report, 'he driveth furiously', made his name English slang for a fast driver well into the stagecoach era. He is also among the few Israelite kings pictured in surviving Assyrian art, bowing on the Black Obelisk.

Puritans used the name sparingly; today it is a true rarity with vintage-engine charm. A name for families who like their scripture at full gallop.

Did you know? For two hundred years of English, calling a coachman 'a regular Jehu' meant he drove like a maniac — the king's chariot style became a dictionary entry.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Jehu — etymology

Variations

YehuJehuu

Nicknames

Jay

Famous Bearers

  • ★Jehu
    Biblical king of the northern Kingdom of Israel

If you like Jehu…

Jethro— a fellow gruff Old Testament revival
Amos— the compact prophet name of the same shelf
Boaz— another bold biblical rarity
Hazael— the rival king from the very same chapters

Explore names like Jehu

By themehebrewbiblicalrare-revival
By meaningGod / DivineRoyal / NobleHonor

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jehu mean?

Jehu is Hebrew for 'Yahweh is he', the name of Israel's famously fast-driving king.

How do you pronounce Jehu?

It's said JEE-hyoo /ˈdʒi.hju/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jehu a boy or girl name?

Jehu is a boy's name.

How popular is Jehu?

Jehu is a vanishingly rare biblical name in the U.S.

💬 Ask Nia