NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Jedidiah

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved 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.

Jedidiah is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Jedidiah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #968, with 32 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 33 births.

This profile covers 382 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 97% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 382 living people in the UK are called Jedidiah. 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

  • Jedidiah ranked #968 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 32 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 33 boys were registered as Jedidiah.
  • Jedidiah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
  • About 382 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jedidiah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.2% of Jedidiah registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#968

2024

Births in 2024

32

Latest year

Peak year

2023

33 births

Estimated living

382

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Jedidiah

In England and Wales birth records, Jedidiah has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.2% of registrations are for boys and 0.8% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

99% boys
Boys382 (99.2%)Girls3 (0.8%)

Jedidiah registered for boys

  • Ranked #968 in 2024
  • 32 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (33 births)

Jedidiah registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,691 in 2014
  • 3 girls registered in 2014
  • Peak: 2014 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Jedidiah mean?

The name Jedidiah is of Hebrew origin, derived from the Hebrew words "yadid" meaning "beloved" and "Yah" which is a shortened form of the Hebrew name for God, Yahweh or Jehovah. The name can be translated to mean "beloved of God" or "friend of God."

The earliest known use of the name Jedidiah can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible, where it was given as a symbolic name to King Solomon by the prophet Nathan, as mentioned in 2 Samuel 12:25. This biblical reference suggests that the name was in use among the ancient Israelites during the 10th century BCE.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Jedidiah was Jedidiah Morse, an American congregational minister, geographer, and father of American geography, who lived from 1761 to 1826. He is known for his significant contributions to the field of geography and for publishing several influential works, including the first American geography textbook.

Another notable figure with the name Jedidiah was Jedidiah Strutt, an English inventor and industrialist from the 18th century, born in 1726 and died in 1797. He is credited with innovations in the cotton-spinning industry and the development of the Derby Rib Machine, which revolutionized the production of ribbed stockings.

In the 19th century, Jedidiah Leavitt, an American sailor and whaler, gained fame for his daring exploits and survival stories. He was born in 1783 and died in 1848, and his adventures were documented in the book "Leavitt's Old Truck" published in 1859.

Jedidiah Hotchkiss, an American military engineer and topographer, played a significant role during the American Civil War. Born in 1828 and died in 1899, he is renowned for his detailed maps and surveys, which were instrumental in many battles and campaigns during the conflict.

Jedidiah Buxton, an English philanthropist and social reformer, lived from 1707 to 1772. He is remembered for his efforts in establishing schools and promoting education for the underprivileged, as well as his advocacy for the abolition of slavery and the improvement of prison conditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Jedidiah over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Jedidiah in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Jedidiah, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 32 births in 2024, compared with 33 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
08172533199620102024

Decades

Jedidiah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jedidiah 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 #1296 113 5
2010s #1618 152 10
2000s #1803 92 9
1990s #1771 25 4

Geography

Where Jedidiah is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Jedidiah. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Jedidiah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Jedidiah in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#728 in 2023

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Jedidiah

FAQ

Jedidiah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Jedidiah in the UK right now?

In 2024, Jedidiah was ranked #968 for boys in England and Wales, with 32 births registered.

When was Jedidiah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 33 babies registered as Jedidiah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Jedidiah?

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved of God".

How many people are called Jedidiah in the UK?

A total of 382 babies have been registered as Jedidiah across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Jedidiah most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Jedidiah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.