Jewel

♂ Boy

Pronounced JOO-ul /ˈdʒu.əl/High

Meaning: From the word jewel — 'a precious gem/ornament' (from the Old French joel); a word/gem-name, more often a girls' name; here for a boy; we note the wordLow

In 30 seconds: A jewel; a precious gem: Jewel is a word-name. Crisp, modern, and warm. More often a girls' name — here a boy.

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Origin LowEnglish, French

MeaningFrom the word jewel — 'a precious gem/ornament' (from the Old French joel); a word/gem-name, more often a girls' name; here for a boy; we note the word

U.S. rank (2025)#8547 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births9 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1926

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,242

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

Jewel comes from the word jewel — 'a precious gem/ornament' (from the Old French joel); a word/gem-name (we note the word). More often a girls' name, it is recorded here for a boy — which we flag honestly (slug distinguished; said 'JOO-ul').

In the U.S. Jewel is chiefly a girls' name; this boys' use is unusual (it echoes older unisex usage). Rare for a boy, a-precious-gem at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Jewel means 'a precious gem/ornament' (from the Old French joel) — more often a girls' name; it appears here for a boy, which we note (said 'JOO-ul').

Overall data confidence 30%

References — Jewel — gem/word-name; chiefly female

Variations

JewellJuleJoel

Nicknames

Jew

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Jewel…

Jewell— a kin spelling

Jules— a sound-adjacent gem-linked name

Onyx— a fellow gem word-name

Jasper— a companion gem boys' name

Explore names like Jewel

By themeuncertain english word-name french cross-sex gem-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jewel mean?

Jewel is a word-name — 'a precious gem/ornament' (from the Old French joel). It is more often a girls' name; here it is recorded for a boy. We note the word.

How do you pronounce Jewel?

It's said JOO-ul /ˈdʒu.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jewel a boy or girl name?

Jewel is chiefly a girls' name; this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Jewel?

Jewel is uncommon for girls and very rare for boys.