The first name Jael
A unisex name from Hebrew.
1 syllable Unisex
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
From the name of a minor biblical character, Hebrew יעל.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 girls were named Jael, making it the 3,035th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2011, with 13 births (#2,025).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jael with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jael at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 157 girls born in the United States were named Jael, the 1,393rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2012, when 206 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Jael in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Jael in Spanish too.
Famous people named Jael
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Myha'la HerroldAmerican actress, born 1996
More Hebrew unisex names
Questions
- What does the name Jael mean?
- From the name of a minor biblical character, Hebrew יעל.
- What is the origin of the name Jael?
- From the name of a minor biblical character, Hebrew יעל.
- How popular is the name Jael?
- In 2025, 8 girls born in England and Wales were named Jael, ranking 3,035th. Its peak was 2011, with 13 births.
- Is Jael a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 7,948 US babies named Jael since 1880, 57% were girls and 43% boys.
- When was Jael most popular?
- 2012 in the United States, when 206 babies were named Jael, its highest rank at 1,197th.