Declining since 1999, #1,512 for girls today.
Popularity of Jewel since 1880
Babies named Jewel per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Jewel's real moment was 1904.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 132 | 28 |
| 1890s | 660 | 75 |
| 1900s | 2,076 | 209 |
| 1910s | 5,513 | 822 |
| 1920s | 7,779 | 1,281 |
| 1930s | 4,874 | 871 |
| 1940s | 3,640 | 543 |
| 1950s | 2,665 | 416 |
| 1960s | 1,823 | 225 |
| 1970s | 1,045 | 187 |
| 1980s | 1,246 | 161 |
| 1990s | 2,371 | 133 |
| 2000s | 3,484 | 129 |
| 2010s | 3,019 | 100 |
| 2020s | 1,158 | 63 |
Meaning & origin
Jewel is a direct gemstone name that enjoyed early popularity in the United States. It reached its peak rank of 1904 in 1904, aligning with the height of the Victorian era's fondness for virtue and nature names. While it has since fallen in usage since 1999, it remains a distinctive choice. The name was most popular in the top states of Oklahoma, Georgia, and Indiana, suggesting a regional preference in the South and Midwest. As of 2025, it ranks 1512th with approximately 1 in 11,399 births, reflecting its status as a rare but familiar gem among contemporary names.
Jewel is derived from the Old French 'jouel', meaning 'a precious stone' or 'ornament'. It was used as a given name in the 19th century, likely influenced by the Victorian fashion for virtue and nature names. The name also appears as a transferred use of the surname, which itself denoted a jeweler or a person who dealt in gems.
Where Jewel is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Jewel” around the world
Where Jewel lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jewels, Jules
Variants: Jewell
Sibling names for Jewel
Names that share Jewel's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Jewel
Names whose popularity has moved with Jewel's over the last 50 years.
