UK boy's name
Jedediah
A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "friend of God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jedediah is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Jedediah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 5 births.
This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2001 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Jedediah. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jedediah ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 5 boys were registered as Jedediah.
- • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jedediah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
5 births
Estimated living
22
2026
Meaning
What does Jedediah mean?
The name Jedediah originates from the Hebrew language and culture. It is a biblical name derived from the Hebrew words "yadah" meaning "to praise" and "Yah" which is a shortened form of the name of the God of Israel, Yahweh or Jehovah. The name essentially means "praised" or "one who praises God."
The name Jedediah first appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically in 1 Chronicles 24:20-22. It refers to one of the twenty-four chief priests appointed by King David to serve in the temple at Jerusalem. This biblical figure lived around 1000 BC during the reign of King David.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Jedediah is found in the Book of Jasher, an ancient Hebrew text mentioned in the Bible. It refers to a man named Jedediah who was a prince during the time of the Exodus from Egypt, around 1400 BC.
In American history, Jedediah Strong (1737-1801) was a famous colonial-era minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Second Great Awakening religious movement. He was born in Massachusetts and served as a minister in Connecticut.
Jedediah Morse (1761-1826) was an American geographer, theologian, and father of Samuel F.B. Morse, the inventor of the Morse code. He was born in Connecticut and is known for his influential works on American geography and history.
Jedediah Smith (1799-1831) was an American fur trader, explorer, and author who is renowned for his contributions to the exploration and mapping of the American West. He was the first American to travel overland from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Jedediah Burchard (1815-1876) was an American clergyman and author who served as a chaplain during the American Civil War. He is best known for his famous quote about the corruption of the political process, which became known as the "Burchard Blunder" during the 1884 presidential election.
Jedediah Strutt (1726-1797) was an English inventor and engineer who played a significant role in the development of the cotton industry during the Industrial Revolution. He is credited with inventing several important machines used in textile manufacturing.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jedediah over time
The chart below shows babies named Jedediah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jedediah, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jedediah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jedediah was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5119 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3679 | 9 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3349 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Jedediah
- Jack 188,738
- Joshua 145,192
- James 141,878
- Joseph 102,259
- Jacob 93,754
- Jake 66,896
- Jamie 41,243
- Jordan 36,750
- Jayden 28,921
- Jude 24,156
- John 22,240
- Joe 19,164
FAQ
Jedediah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jedediah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Jedediah was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jedediah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 5 babies registered as Jedediah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jedediah?
A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "friend of God".
How many people are called Jedediah in the UK?
A total of 22 babies have been registered as Jedediah across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.