UK name, mostly boys
Jules
A masculine name of French origin derived from Julius, meaning "youthful".
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.
Jules is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Jules popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1132, with 25 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 31 births.
This profile covers 639 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 81% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 641 living people in the UK are called Jules. 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
- • Jules ranked #1132 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 25 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 31 boys were registered as Jules.
- • Jules ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #599 in 2020.
- • About 641 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jules as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 93.0% of Jules registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1132
2024
Births in 2024
25
Latest year
Peak year
2007
31 births
Estimated living
641
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Jules
In England and Wales birth records, Jules has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 93.0% of registrations are for boys and 7.0% 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.
Jules registered for boys
- Ranked #1,132 in 2024
- 25 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (31 births)
Jules registered for girls
- Ranked #4,192 in 2024
- 5 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2011 (5 births)
Meaning
What does Jules mean?
The name Jules is derived from the ancient Roman family name Julius, which itself originated from the word ioulos meaning "downy-bearded" in ancient Greek. It has its roots in the Latin language and Roman culture, with the earliest known use dating back to the 1st century BC.
The name gained prominence due to its association with the famous Roman dictator and military leader, Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), who played a pivotal role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. The name Julius was widely adopted by the ruling class and aristocracy during the Roman imperial era.
In the Middle Ages, the name Jules emerged as a French form of Julius, and it became popular among the French nobility. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Jules de Polignac (1817-1888), a French diplomat and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of France from 1829 to 1830.
Another notable figure with the name Jules was Jules Verne (1828-1905), the renowned French novelist and pioneer of the science fiction genre. His works, such as "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth," captivated readers with their imaginative stories and futuristic visions.
In the field of art, Jules Breton (1827-1906) was a French painter known for his depictions of peasant life and rural scenes. His works, such as "The Song of the Lark" and "The Gleaners," are celebrated for their realistic portrayals of the French countryside.
The name also gained prominence in the world of literature with Jules Renard (1864-1910), a French author and member of the Académie Goncourt. He is best known for his poignant novel "Poil de Carotte" and his collection of short stories, "Histoires Naturelles."
In the realm of music, Jules Massenet (1842-1912) was a French composer renowned for his operas, including "Manon" and "Werther." His compositions were widely acclaimed for their melodic beauty and emotional depth, solidifying his place as one of the most influential opera composers of the 19th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jules over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Jules 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 Jules, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 25 births in 2024, compared with 31 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jules by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jules 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 | #1220 | 113 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1239 | 220 | 10 |
| 2000s | #885 | 247 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1012 | 59 | 4 |
Geography
Where Jules is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Jules. 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.
Jules ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #599 in 2020.
Across the UK
Jules in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#599 in 2020
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Jules
-
Jules Stych
basketball player
Gibraltarian basketball player (born 2004)
2004-
-
Jules Dang Akodo
basketball player
British basketball player (1996-)
1996-
-
Jules Joanne Gleeson
writer; historian; comedian
queer historian (b. 1990). Gleeson is also active as a trans and intersex activist, writer, comedian and editor.
1990-
-
Jules Miller
businessperson; business executive
health supplement and herbal medicine entrepreneur
1990-
-
Jules Breach
journalist
British actress
1986-
-
Jules Buckley
composer; conductor; music arranger
English musician
1980-
-
Jules Chappell
businessperson; diplomat
British diplomat and businessperson
1978-
-
Jules Hudson
television presenter; anthropologist; archaeologist
British archaeologist
1970-
Related
Names similar to Jules
- 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
Jules: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jules in the UK right now?
In 2024, Jules was ranked #1132 for boys in England and Wales, with 25 births registered.
When was Jules most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 31 babies registered as Jules in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jules?
A masculine name of French origin derived from Julius, meaning "youthful".
How many people are called Jules in the UK?
A total of 639 babies have been registered as Jules across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.
Where is Jules most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Jules ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #599 in 2020. 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.