Given name
Jed
“beloved of God”
Jed is used as a given name. One interpretation is “beloved of God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “beloved of God.”
Where it comes from
Jed is a variant of Jedidiah. An origin associated with Jedidiah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Jed is a diminutive of Jedidiah.
The story
The name has a place in biblical naming traditions.
Jed through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,945
- 8,945 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 282 babies
- 2025
- 76
- #1,999 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +10%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 76 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,999 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 10.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 282 in 1978. In 2025, Tennessee had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,309 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jed’s family of names
In English usage, Jed is a diminutive of Jedidiah. Jed has a related form in Jedidiah.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Jed
- Jed BrophyNew Zealand film actorborn 1963
- Jed AllanAmerican actor (1935–2019)
- Jed SteerEnglish association football player (born 1992)
- Jed WhedonAmerican screenwriter and musicianborn 1974
- Jed GraefAmerican swimmerborn 1942
- Jed LowrieAmerican baseball playerborn 1984
- Jed ReesCanadian actorborn 1970
- Jed KurzelAustralian musician and film composerborn 1976
- Jed ProutyAmerican actor (1879–1956)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jed, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jerem
“one who is exalted by the Lord”
>99% boys
Jeremy
“one who is exalted by the Lord” · “appointed by God”
>99% boys
Jens
“God is gracious”
>99% boys
Jedadiah
“one who is loved by God”
>99% boys
Benji
“son of the right hand” · “son of the south”
98% boys · 2% girls
Jeconiah
“Yah establishes” · “the Lord will establish”
>99% boys
Eran
“one who has been awakened”
>99% boys
Adams
“man” · “of the earth”
>99% boys