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The short answer
Jesus is the English form of Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), itself the Greek rendering of the Aramaic Yeshuaʿ, a contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ — the same underlying name as Joshua. Behind the Name gives the roots as the divine name Yahweh combined with yashaʿ, "to save," so the fuller name is traditionally read as "Yahweh is salvation." Jesus Christ, the central figure of the New Testament, is by far the best-known bearer. It is pronounced JEE-zəs in English. In the United States, Jesus ranked #173 among boys' names in 2025 (Social Security Administration), reflecting its everyday use as a given name in Spanish-speaking communities.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name traces Jesus to Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), the Greek form of the Aramaic יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshuaʿ), which is itself a contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ — the same root that produces the name Joshua. The linked Joshua entry gives the roots as יְהוֹ (yeho, referring to the Hebrew God Yahweh) and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ, "to save"), traditionally read together as "Yahweh is salvation."
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew (divine name) | Yahweh | the God of Israel |
| Hebrew | yashaʿ | to save |
Popularity
Jesus ranked #173 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, according to db/list-batch.mjs's SSA 2025 figures, matching the rank in the cached Behind the Name snapshot for the same year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #173 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Chuy, Chucho
Variants: Jesús
Related names: Joshua, Yeshua
What the name feels like
As an everyday given name, Jesus is common and unremarkable in Spanish-speaking communities, where it is treated as a standard biblical name rather than as reserved solely for religious reference, unlike its rarer use as a first name among English speakers.
Style tags: biblical, Spanish-language, traditional, religious
Editorial interpretation: This cultural-use observation is editorial framing, not a documented linguistic fact from Behind the Name, which records etymology and religious history rather than commenting on regional naming customs.
If you like this name
Other names that share Jesus's Hebrew root meaning "salvation," or biblical names common across Spanish-speaking communities.
Similar by meaning
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jesus mean?
Jesus comes from the same Hebrew roots as Joshua, traditionally read as "Yahweh is salvation," from Yahweh and yashaʿ, "to save."
Is Jesus and Joshua the same name?
They share the same underlying Hebrew name. Jesus comes via Greek and Aramaic from a contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ, the same name that gives English Joshua.
Is Jesus a common given name?
It ranked #173 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data, and is a common everyday name in Spanish-speaking communities.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Jesus — supports etymology, pronunciation, history.
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Joshua — supports etymology (root gloss).
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
