NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Jiraiya

A masculine Japanese name meaning "young thunder" or "thunder boy".

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.

Jiraiya is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Jiraiya 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 2023, with 7 births.

This profile covers 26 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2016 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 26 living people in the UK are called Jiraiya. 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

  • Jiraiya ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 7 boys were registered as Jiraiya.
  • About 26 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jiraiya 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

2023

7 births

Estimated living

26

2026

Meaning

What does Jiraiya mean?

The name Jiraiya is of Japanese origin, originating from the Japanese language. It is a compound word derived from the words "jiraya" and "ya". The word "jiraya" is believed to be derived from the Japanese term "gama" meaning "toad", while "ya" is a common suffix used in Japanese names.

The earliest known reference to the name Jiraiya can be found in the classic Japanese novel "The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya" written in the early 19th century. In this novel, Jiraiya is the name of a ninja skilled in magic and toad-related techniques. This literary character was likely inspired by the legendary Mount Myobu folklore, where tales of a ninja named Jiraiya were passed down orally for generations.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Jiraiya was Jiraiya Gozen, a 14th-century Japanese samurai and poet. He was known for his skill in battle and his appreciation for the arts, particularly his contributions to the development of the renga (linked verse) poetic form.

In the 16th century, Jiraiya Masayuki was a notable figure in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was a skilled strategist and military commander who served under the renowned warlord Oda Nobunaga.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Jiraiya Anko was a famous Kabuki actor and playwright. His works were instrumental in popularizing the art form and introducing new themes and styles to the Kabuki stage.

In more recent history, Jiraiya Tsuneo (1904-1962) was a prominent Japanese businessman and industrialist. He founded the Jiraiya Group, a conglomerate with interests in various sectors, including manufacturing and real estate.

Another notable figure with the name Jiraiya was Jiraiya Goke (1920-2005), a renowned Japanese calligrapher and artist. His works were widely acclaimed for their unique style and mastery of the art form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Jiraiya over time

The chart below shows babies named Jiraiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 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 Jiraiya, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Jiraiya
02457201620202024

Decades

Jiraiya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jiraiya 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 #3707 20 4
2010s #4780 6 2

Related

Names similar to Jiraiya

FAQ

Jiraiya: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Jiraiya was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Jiraiya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 7 babies registered as Jiraiya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Jiraiya?

A masculine Japanese name meaning "young thunder" or "thunder boy".

How many people are called Jiraiya in the UK?

A total of 26 babies have been registered as Jiraiya 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.