Given name & surname · also Greek, Latin
Jeremy
“one who is exalted by the Lord”·“appointed by God”
Jeremy is a form of Jeremiah. Interpretations include “appointed by God” (Hebrew) and “one who is exalted by the Lord” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Hebrew use, Jeremy carries the interpretation “one who is exalted by the Lord.” Jeremy is a form of Jeremiah. Interpretations include “appointed by God” (Hebrew) and “one who is exalted by the Lord” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Latin and Greek naming traditions.
How it developed
Jeremy is used as a form of Jeremiah.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1923. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Jeremy is a form of Jeremiah. The history of Jeremiah gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Jeremiah is the name of the Hebrew prophet of the 7th-6th centuries BC.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Jeremy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 448,737
- 446,425 boys · 2,312 girls
- Most popular year
- 1977
- 21,749 babies
- 2025
- 1,152
- #292 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −29%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,152 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 292 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 28.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 21,610 in 1977. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (132). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 372,715 as a first name in 2020; 413 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jeremy’s family of names
In English usage, Jeremy has a diminutive in Jerry. In English usage, Jeremy shares an earlier linguistic root with Dermot. Jeremy is a form of Jeremiah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jeremy has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
12 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 29
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Jerrydiminutive · English
- Jeremivariant
- Jeremievariant
- Gerrydiminutive · English
- Jeromyvariant
- Jemdiminutive · English
- Jerremylikely variant
- Jeremmylikely variant
Show 21 moreShow fewer
- Jeromeevariant
- Jeromievariant
- Jeromivariant
- Jeromeyvariant
- Jeremeevariant
- Jeremeyvariant
- Jeremevariant
- Jeramivariant
- Jeramyvariant
- Jeramievariant
- Jerameyvariant
- Jerameevariant
- Jemmyvariant
- Jemmievariant
- Gerridiminutive · English
- Jerremielikely variant
- Jeremyelikely variant
- Jeremmielikely variant
- Emoydiminutive · ceb
- Jezzadiminutive · English
- Jezdiminutive · English
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 17
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jeremy
- Jeremy RennerAmerican actor (born 1971)
- Jeremy BenthamBritish philosopher, jurist, and social reformer (1748–1832)
- Jeremy IronsBritish actor (born 1948)
- Jeremy CorbynBritish politician, leader of the Labour Party 2015 to 2020born 1949
- Jeremy ClarksonBritish broadcaster, journalist and writerborn 1960
- Jeremy ZuckerAmerican singer-songwriterborn 1996
- Jeremy LinTaiwanese-American basketball playerborn 1988
- Jeremy HuntBritish politicianborn 1966
- Jeremy RifkinAmerican economistborn 1945
Characters named Jeremy: Squeaky-Voiced Teen (The Simpsons character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jeremy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Joshua
“God . is salvation” · “God is salvation”
>99% boys
Jeconiah
“Yah establishes” · “the Lord will establish”
>99% boys
Eran
“one who has been awakened”
>99% boys
Jehudi
“praiser”
>99% boys
Jerimoth
“elevation” · “high places”
>99% boys
Jerram
“one who is exalted by the Lord” · “appointed by God”
>99% boys
Jehoram
“Yah is high”
>99% boys
Jehiah
“Yah lives”
>99% boys