Jade Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

About Jade

As a precious stone, Jade is known for its cool green hues, its importance in Chinese art, and its ability to transmit wisdom, confidence, and clarity. As a name, however, Jade is a 90s throwback in the UK, a Top 5 choice in France, and a returning gem in the US right now.

Jade for girls#95 US

Deriving from the Spanish phrase Piedra de la ijada, the name Jade means "stone of the side" or "stone of the flank" as it was once believed that jade could cure renal colic. While this might not be the most glamorous of meanings, it does give the name some extra history.

Jade has been used to make carvings since Neolithic times, but as a given name, it only took off in the 1970s, when Mick and Bianca Jagger chose it for their daughter.

Originally used as a unisex name, the number of girls called Jade soon outweighed the number of boys, and with the rise of Jaden, it hasn't been (statistically) unisex since the early 2000s.

Trendier than vintage Pearl, but more grounded than Sapphire or Topaz, Jade fits in well with other popular choices. Both a word-name like Scarlett and a one-syllable option like Maeve, Jade feels just as right next to an Audrey or a Claire as it does to a Reese or a Kinsley.

A big favorite in France, where it has ranked in the Top 10 since the mid-2000s, Jade is also well-loved in Belgium, Quebec, the Netherlands, and Monaco. In the US, it has had a shakier history, rising and falling on the charts. Now, though, it's at its peak in the Top 100, and given to nearly 3000 babies every year.

Notable Jades include singer Jade Thirlwall, originally from the group Little Mix; Jade Ewen of the Sugarbabes; Jade, one of the original Bratz Dolls.; and Jane Goody, a TV personality, often remembered for openly sharing her cervical cancer diagnosis, which led to more people being tested and treated sooner.

If you love Jade, but want some more inspiration, you could consider the Italian variant, Giada. You might also like another gemstone name, like Opal or Garnet, a French favorite, like Romy, Ambre, Roxane or Zelie, or a throwback British choice, like Chelsea, Jodie, Demi, or Tia.

Jade for boys#2405 US

When Jade first took off as a given name back in the 1970's, it was in fact considered unisex. It ranked in the US Top 1000 first for boys, then for girls, 7 years later. By the 80's however, Jade was more familiar as a girls' name and by the 2000's, it was gone from the charts for boys.

Nonetheless, more than 60 boys are still given the name Jade each year, and with Jasper, Onyx, and similar sounding Jude on the rise, perhaps Jade could be seen as a fresh spin on Jay, Jayden, or James in the future.

Year	US rank · girls	Births · girls	US rank · boys	Births · boys
2014	#139	2,392	#2,262	59
2015	#126	2,569	#2,579	48
2016	#117	2,700	#2,394	54
2017	#110	2,737	#2,912	41
2018	#111	2,698	#2,524	51
2019	#105	2,719	#2,375	57
2020	#97	2,748	#2,425	54
2021	#92	2,859	#2,237	63
2022	#88	2,887	#2,360	60
2023	#80	2,926	#2,591	51
2024	#84	2,931	#2,448	56
2025	#95	2,658	#2,405	57

Jade

About Jade

Jade for girls#95 US

Jade for boys#2405 US

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