Holding steady.
Popularity of Jenkins since 1890
Babies named Jenkins per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1923, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Jenkins's real moment was 1890.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 50 |
| 1920s | 57 |
| 1930s | 32 |
| 1940s | 22 |
| 1950s | 21 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 13 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 33 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Jenkins is a rare first name with English roots, derived as a patronymic surname meaning 'little John.' First recorded as a given name in 1890, it reached its peak usage that same year, though the name has not appeared in the U.S. Social Security Administration's top 1,000 names. Its trajectory has remained stable, with no significant revival in recent decades. The name is overwhelmingly masculine and has no strong association with any particular state. For parents drawn to surname-styled given names with a vintage feel, Jenkins offers an uncommon choice with a straightforward etymology, though its rarity means it may be more familiar as a last name.
Jenkins is a medieval English patronymic surname derived from Jenkin, a diminutive of Jen, itself a Middle English variant of John. The suffix -kin means 'little' or 'son of,' so Jenkins literally means 'little John' or 'son of little John.' The surname became established as a given name, particularly in the United States, from the 19th century onward.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jenk, Jink
Sibling names for Jenkins
Names that share Jenkins's style, for a brother or sister.
