The first name Jair
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “he will light up”.
Pronounced /d͡ʒaɪˈɪəɹ/ 1 syllable Male
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Jair means “he will light up” in Hebrew.
From Middle English Jair, Iair, from Ancient Greek Ἰάϊρ (Iáïr), from Biblical Hebrew יָאִיר (yāʾîr, literally “he will light up”). Doublet of Yair and Jairus.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 boys were named Jair, making it the 4,275th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2024, with 5 births (#3,688).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jair with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jair at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 170 boys born in the United States were named Jair, the 1,193rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2003, when 480 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.
Jair in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Jair in Portuguese too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Jair
18 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Jair Bolsonaro38th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil (2019–2023)
- JairzinhoBrazilian footballer and manager, born 1944
- Jair da CostaBrazilian footballer (1940–2025)
- Jair da Rosa PintoBrazilian footballer and manager (1921-2005)
- Jair MarinhoBrazilian footballer (1936–2020)
- Jair Eduardo Britto da SilvaBrazilian association football player, born 1988
- Jair MarrufoAmerican association football referee, born 1977
- Jair CunhaBrazilian footballer (born 2005)
- Jair CéspedesFootballer, born 1984
- Jair BenítezColombian footballer, born 1979
- Jair Pereira da SilvaBrazilian association football player, born 1946
- Jair RodriguesBrazilian musician and singer (1939–2014)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Jair mean?
- Jair means “he will light up” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Jair?
- From Middle English Jair, Iair, from Ancient Greek Ἰάϊρ (Iáïr), from Biblical Hebrew יָאִיר (yāʾîr, literally “he will light up”). Doublet of Yair and Jairus.
- How popular is the name Jair?
- In 2025, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Jair, ranking 4,275th. Its peak was 2024, with 5 births.
- Is Jair a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 7,269 US babies named Jair since 1880 were boys.
- When was Jair most popular?
- 2003 in the United States, when 480 babies were named Jair, its highest rank at 506th.
- How do you pronounce Jair?
- Jair is /d͡ʒaɪˈɪəɹ/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Jair?
- Yahir.