Jayson is a name of American origin, derived from the combination of two popular names: Jason and James. The name was created in the late 20th century and gained popularity during the 1980s and 1990s.
Jason is a Greek name that means "healer" or "to heal." It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "iasein," which means "to heal." Jason was also the name of the hero in the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, who sailed on the ship Argo in search of the Golden Fleece.
James is an English name that means "supplanter" or "may he take hold of the heel." It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "Jacob," which means "held by the heel" or "to seize by the heal." James was also the name of several important figures in history, including Saint James the Apostle and King James I of England.
Combining Jason and James resulted in the name Jayson. The meaning of this combined name is not explicitly defined, but it can be interpreted as "healer who takes hold" or "to heal with courage." This interpretation combines the meanings of both Jason and James to create a unique significance for the name Jayson.
The use of Jayson became popularized in part due to its use by celebrities and athletes. For example, Jayson Williams is a former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Additionally, Jayson Blair is a journalist who gained notoriety for fabricating stories while working at The New York Times.
Despite its popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, the use of the name Jayson has declined in recent years. However, it remains a unique and distinctive name that combines elements from two popular names with rich historical significance.
The name Jayson has a fascinating history of popularity over the years in the United States. From 1922 to 2023, there have been a total of 35,083 births with the name Jayson.
In the early years, from 1922 to 1946, the number of babies named Jayson remained relatively low, ranging from 5 to 12 births per year. However, starting in 1947, there was a significant increase in popularity, with 17 births recorded that year.
The late 1950s and early 1960s marked another turning point for the name Jayson. The number of births began to rise steadily, reaching a peak of 246 in 1969. This trend continued throughout the 1970s, with the highest number of births recorded at 713 in 1979.
However, the popularity of the name Jayson fluctuated over the following decades. The 1980s and early 1990s saw a decline in its usage, with fewer than 500 births per year on average. But by the mid-1990s, the name started to regain popularity, reaching a peak of 725 births in 1998.
The new millennium brought a period of sustained popularity for the name Jayson. From 2000 to 2013, the number of babies named Jayson remained consistently high, with over 800 births per year on average. However, there was a noticeable decline in recent years, with fewer than 600 births recorded from 2014 onwards.
Despite this recent decrease in popularity, the name Jayson remains quite common in the United States, with around 500 births recorded annually between 2017 and 2023. This historical overview of the name's popularity highlights its enduring appeal over generations and its ability to maintain a consistent presence among baby names in the US.