Top Baby Girl Names That Start With J

Most of the popular girl names begin with J. You have names like Josephine, Jessica, Julia, Jennifer, Jacqueline, and many more. Perhaps you like the sound that comes with girl names that start with J, or you’re looking to get inspired. We collected popular, unusual, pretty, biblical, long, and short J girl names from across the globe to help you find the right name for your baby girl.

Popular Girl Names That Start With J

Some names are popular for a reason, so why not get started by having a look at the top 20 baby girl names starting with J in the United States? 1. Josephine. The most popular name beginning with J in the United States is Josephine, the English, German, and Dutch version of the French Joséphine. It’s the feminine form of Joseph. Famous Josephines include Napoleon’s wife and African-American dancer Josephine Baker.

2. Jade. The second most popular girls’ name starting with J is Jade, named for the precious, pale-green stone used in carvings and jewelry. It comes from the Spanish word Piedra de la (ijada). It mostly became a popular name in the 1970s.

3. Julia. This name dates back to the Romans, as the feminine form of Julius, meaning “downy-bearded” or “youthful.” It’s a name that’s been popular over the centuries, and you’ll find plenty of famous Julias, like actress Julia Roberts and cookbook author Julia Child.

4. Josie. Josie is the shortened version of Josephine but has become a popular name in its own right.

5. Jasmine. This beautiful name has its roots in the Persian for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers often used in perfume. It became trendy after Disney’s Aladdin came out in the 1990s, featuring Princess Jasmine. It’s also a name that’s been popular since the 1970s among the African-American community.

6. Juniper. Juniper only became popular as a name in recent years, but the word goes back to the Latin iuniperus, which is the “juniper tree.”

7. Juliette. This is a French diminutive of Julie, which has its roots in the name Julius, meaning “youthful.” It’s a lovely, romantic name, so it’s easy to see why it’s so popular.

8. June. If June is your favorite month or your due date is in June, then maybe this lovely and popular name could be a good fit for your little girl. It comes from the name of the Roman goddess Juno and popular as a girls’ name since the nineteenth century.

9. Juliana. Both Juliana and Julianna are popular names coming from Julia, the Roman feminine form of Julius. These are a lovely variant of the name, so if you want something a little more poetic than Julia, Juliana may be a good fit.

10. Jordyn. A feminine and trendy version of the name Jordan, named after the biblical river flowing between Jordan and Israel. The original name comes from the Hebrew word meaning “to flow down.”

11. Journee. This trendy variant of Journey—coming from the Old French word from the Latin diurnus, meaning “of the day”—is a cool name that has a twist, being both popular and a little unusual.

12. Joanna. Joanna is the feminine of John, coming from the Greek Ioanna. Although Joanna comes from John, which means “God is gracious,” it’s also a name featured in the New Testament, with Saint Joanna, one of Jesus’s followers. Today, one of the most famous bearers of this name is British actress Joanna Lumley.

13. Jane. Like Joanna, Jane is a feminine form of John and became one of the most popular names used in the English-speaking world. Your little girl would be in good company with this timeless name, among Jane Austen, Jane Birkin, Jane Fonda, and even literary title-character Jane Eyre.

14. Jocelyn. This cool, unisex name has its roots in Germanic, coming from the name for the Germanic tribes of the Geats or the Goths. It got combined with a Latin diminutive suffix and came to England with the Normans in the fourteenth century. It’s certainly a well-traveled name with history to go with it.

15. Journey. Like the alternative spelling Journee, Journey is another name that comes from “of the day” and has its roots in Old French.

16. Jayla. This popular name is actually a made-up name. Someone liked the phonetic sounds of jay and la together and combined them. It seems like others also liked the name, as it made it into the top 20 most popular names beginning with J.

17. Juliet. Although it’s a variant of Juliette, this spelling is perhaps famous because of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, making it a beautiful and romantic name for your little girl.

18. Joy. This is one name that means what it says: Joy. It comes from the Norman word joie and has been used as a name since the nineteenth century. If your little girl is a bundle of joy, maybe this is the perfect name for her.

19. Jessica. Legend has it one of the first appearances of this name was in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Jessica was Shylock’s daughter, so it was probably based on the biblical name Iscah or Jescha. Since then, it’s become a hugely popular name, and certainly one used by many celebrities like actresses Jessica Lange, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, to name a few.

20. Jennifer. Jennifer is the Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), but only really became popular in the twentieth century, after a character with this name appeared in George Bernard Shaw’s play The Doctor’s Dilemma. It mostly grew in popularity in the latter part of the twentieth century and was the most popular name in the United States between 1970 and 1984. Today you’ll find many actresses with this name, like Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jennifer Lopez.

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Unique Girl Names That Start With J

Looking for a pretty and unique girl name? Try some of these unusual girl names beginning with J on for size. From the Balkans and Baltics to Arabic and Korean names, you’ll be sure to find some pretty unique names that start with J. 21. Jadranka. If you want to go with something different, you might want to turn to the South Slavic languages like Croatian, Serbian, or Slovenian for inspiration. Jadranka is the feminine form of Adrian, coming from the Roman name Hadrianus, which means “from Hadria” in Latin. If you have connections with the Adriatic sea, or any of these countries, it could be a lovely and unique name for your baby girl.

22. Joandra. This unique name is a fusion of the names Joanne and Andrea, so if you like these names and like them even more when they are put together, then Joandra could be a fun choice.

23. Jacomina. This Dutch name is the feminine form of Iacomus, which comes from James. The Hebrew name Jacomina stems from, Ya’aqov, which may mean “supplanter” or “may God protect.” Either way, this Dutch girl’s name has a lovely ring to it, and if you have Dutch heritage (or just love the name), it may be the right one for your daughter.

24. Jadvyga. Jadvyga is the Lithuanian form of the name Hedwig, a Germanic name that combines the words hadu, meaning “battle” or “combat” and wig “war.” It’s a strong and powerful name, and this Lithuanian version is doubly unique.

25. Jale. Coming from the Turkish form of Zhaleh, a Persian name meaning “dew” or “hoarfrost,” Jale is a lovely name.

26. Jalila. This Arabic name is the feminine form of Jalil, meaning “important” or “exalted” in Arabic.

27. Janika. A name with Finnish and Estonian roots, Janika is the feminine form of Jaan or Jani, the Estonian and Finnish names for John.

28. Jefimija. Jefimija is the Serbian form of Euphemia, meaning “to use words of good omen” in Greek. Jefimija was also the name of a fourteenth-century Serbian poet.

29. Jessamyn. Looking for an alternative to Jasmine? Then maybe try Jessamyn (or even Jessamine) for something different.

30. Jadzia. This Polish girls’ name is the diminutive of Jadwiga, the Polish form of Hedwig.

More Unique Girl Names That Start With J

Choosing a baby name can be fun yet also overwhelming. Watch this video for some exciting facts that could help you find the perfect baby name!

Biblical Girl Names That Start With J

The Bible is home to some of the most memorable and beloved names. Whether it’s powerful girls’ names that starts with J, like Judith, to minor characters in the New Testament, like Junia, you can find a collection of biblical girl names that start with J. If you’re looking for more ideas, you may want to check out more biblical baby names. 41. Jael. Coming from the Hebrew name Ya’el, meaning “ibex” or “mountain goat,” Jael features in the Old Testament as the wife of Heber the Kenite.

42. Jedidah. Jedidah means “beloved” or “friend” in Hebrew and was the name for the wife of King Amon of Judah, and she was also the mother of Josiah, another king in the Old Testament.

43. Jehosheba. In the Old Testament, Jehosheba was the daughter of King Jehoram of Judah. The name means “God is an oath” in Hebrew (fun fact: the name Elizabeth actually comes from the same Hebrew word).

44. Jemima. This lovely name means “dove” in Hebrew. Jemima was the oldest of Job’s three daughters in the Old Testament.

45. Jerusha. Jerusha comes from the Hebrew word yarash, meaning “possession.” She was the wife of King Uzziah of Judah in the Old Testament.

46. Jezebel. This name has its roots in the Hebrew ‘Izevel, which may mean “where is the prince?” a question that’s asked as part of a ritual done during ceremonies honoring the pagan god Baal. Jezebel, in the Old Testament, was the wife of King Ahab.

47. Judith. This name quite literally means “Jewish woman” in Hebrew and refers to a person from the tribe of Judah. However, Judith is a well-known figure in the Old Testament. She was one of the Hittite wives of Essau, but she was also the title character in the apocryphal Book of Judith. She became famous and immortalized in art, like Gustav Klimt’s golden Judith and the Head of Holofernes.

48. Junia. A feminine form of Junius, this was a name from the New Testament. Although it’s considered a biblical name, it actually has roots in Ancient Roman, and probably comes from the goddess Juno.

49. Jochebed. Jochebed is the mother of Miriam, Aaron, and Moses in the Old Testament. The name means “God is glory” in Hebrew.

50. Jescha. This name is a form of Iscah, meaning “to behold,” and was the name of Abraham’s niece. This spelling was used in the medieval Wycliffe Bible and may have inspired Shakespeare’s Jessica in The Merchant of Venice.

Cool J Girl Names

Whether you are looking for some cool gender-neutral names or cool names that start with J for a girl, we’ve got you covered. 51. Jacinda. This is a variant of the name Jacinta, a Spanish and Portuguese form of Hyacinthus where the hyacinth flower gets its name from. Jacinda is a cool name for your little girl. One influential woman with this name is Jacinda Ardern, a prime minister of New Zealand.

52. Jaslene. Jaslene is simply a name that’s made from two lovely sounding phonetic elements of jaz and lene. However, it became a trendy name with Puerto Rican-born model Jaslene Gonzales who won America’s Next Top Model in season eight.

53. Jacobina. This feminine form of Jacob is a Dutch name that sounds unique and cool.

54. Jada. Jada comes from Jade, and was really only in use as a name since the 1960s. However, actress Jada Pinkett Smith made this name officially cool.

55. Jaden. Sometimes invented names are the coolest, and Jaden is no exception. It came about when all the names ending in -den were popular in the 1990s, but this name has become especially popular since 2003. It can work for a boy or a girl, making it a cool unisex name.

56. Jewel. As you might have guessed, this name comes from the word for a precious stone. Although, it can have other meanings, like the Old French word jouel, meaning “game” or from the surname Jewel. Either way, it’s a cool name to give your baby if she’s a gem. American singer Jewel Kilcher—who usually just goes by Jewel—also shares this name!

57. Juno. Juno likely comes from the Indo-European word meaning “young,” although some say it could be Etruscan in origin. However, what we do know about Juno is she was a goddess in Roman mythology, and was the wife of Jupiter, making her queen of the heavens. She was the goddess of marriage, women, and finance. You might have also heard the name in the movie Juno, starring Elliot Page.

58. Jameela. This Arabic name, also spelled Jamila, is the feminine of the name Jamil and means “beautiful.”

59. Jocasta. Jocasta is a Greek name, but its meaning is unknown. It’s a unique and interesting sounding name, probably most famous in Greek mythology as she was the mother of Oedipus.

60. Janina. This is a variation of Jeannine, and is used across Poland, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, and Sweden. It comes from the name John.

More Cool J Names for Girls

Common Girl Names That Start With J

Although most of the common girl J names were covered in the most popular top 20 names, there are even more common J names for girls to still consider. 71. Jacqueline. An elegant and classic English and French girls’ names that is the feminine form of Jacques, goes all the way back to Ya’aqov, which could mean “supplanter” or “may God protect” in Hebrew. Either way, it’s a common girls’ name and was the given name for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

72. Jamie. This is a unisex name from Lowland Scotland that’s a diminutive for James. Although it was a boy’s name for a long time, it was also used as a feminine name since the nineteenth century. Jamie Lee Curtis is one famous example of this name.

73. Janet. Although Jane is very common, Janet is also a popular name, especially throughout the twentieth century around the 1960s. Since then, its popularity has faded, but it’s still a classic name, with figures like Janet Jackson with this name.

74. Jayne. This is another popular way to spell the name Jane. Actress Jayne Mansfield is one famous Jayne.

75. Jean. Related to the name Jane, Jean was common in England and Scotland in the Middle Ages. It became rare in England, mostly used in Scotland, but then became popular again in the nineteenth century. Actress Jean Harlow had this name, and pop-star Britney Spears has Jean as her middle name, along with Marilyn Monroe (formerly Norma Jean Baker).

76. Jillian. This is a variant of the name Gillian, which comes from Julian or Julius.

77. Joan. This is another variant of Joanne and John and became an English feminine name in the Middle Ages. Although Jane took over in popularity in the seventeenth century, it became popular in the early to mid-twentieth century. Figures like Joan Crawford, Joan Collins and even fictional character Joan Holloway from the TV series Mad Men share this name.

78. Joyce. Joyce actually comes from the name Josse, which came from a word meaning “lord.” In the fourteenth century, Joyce was a popular feminine name and has been in use ever since.

79. Justine. This is a French variant of the name Justina, which comes from the Latin word Justus meaning “just.” Justine was also the title character in the book of the same name, Justine by Lawrence Durrell.

80. JoBeth. If you like the name Jo and Beth, like many others do, then you may want to combine them and go with JoBeth. This name is more common than you might think, with American actress JoBeth Williams being the most famous example.

Cute and Pretty Girl Names That Start With J

Looking for a cute and pretty girl name starting with J? Whether you’re looking for a diminutive version of a popular name or something with a cute and pretty meaning from across the globe, have a look through our picks of cute and pretty baby girl names starting with J and their meaning. 81. Jacey. This cute and pretty name combined the sound jay with an ending like in Casey or Macey. It has a lovely ring to it! Or maybe you have twins and you’re looking for come cute twin names (and pair it with another name ending with -ey).

82. Jaana. This name from Estonia and Finland, can either be a feminine version of Jaan (John) or a diminutive of Marjaana. It’s a cute and pretty name you may want to consider, especially if you have family from this part of the Baltic Sea.

83. Jaci. Jaci can either be a diminutive of Jacqueline or an indigenous American name in the Tupi language, meaning “moon.” 84. Jackie. This is another sweet, shortened version of Jacqueline, made famous by Jackie Kennedy.

85. July. If your little one is due in July, then why not name her after her birth month? This name comes from the calendar, but the month itself was actually named after Julius Caesar.

86. Judy. Usually a shortened version of Judith, Judy became especially popular with American singer and actress Judy Garland.

87. Jorie. This pretty name is the shortened form of Marjorie, which apparently got its name from the herb marjoram.

88. Jamey. Another way of spelling the name “Jamie,” if you’re looking for a cute and different way to spell the name.

89. Jolie. This name is pretty, quite literally as it means “pretty” in French. Although you may think Jolie is Angelina Jolie’s last name, it was actually her middle name. Saying that, Jolie is not used as a name in France.

90. Janey. This is a cute variation of the name Jane.

More Cute and Pretty Girl Names That Start With J

Short Girl Names That Start With J

Sometimes short is sweet, so we’ve picked the best short baby names that begin with J. These lovely names may only be one-syllable, and while some are short versions of other names, they come packed with meaning, culture, and history. 100. Jae. Jae is a Korean name for both boys and girls, meaning “talent,” “ability,” or “riches” in Sino-Korean.

101. Jan. This is usually the short version of the name Janet or Janice, or any other name beginning with Jan.

102. Jen. This is a popular, shortened version of the name Jennifer.

103. Jess. If your little girl is a Jessica, you might want to shorten it to Jess, or give her this diminutive if you prefer to skip a longer name.

104. Jet. In Dutch, Jet is a common short form of the name Henriette or Mariette.

105. Jill. This is the shortened form of the name Jillian, but also known on its own thanks to the nursery rhyme Jack and Jill.

106. Jin. Jin comes from the Chinese word for “gold,” “metal,” or “money,” but depending on the character it has other meanings too. For example, it could also mean “tapestry,” “brocade,” “embroidered,” or “ferry.” It’s a popular name for boys and girls in China, Japan, and Korea. One of the most famous uses is Jin from the Korean band BTS.

107. Jip. This Frisian name is shortened from of the Germanic name Gijsberta, meaning “bright” and “pledge” in ancient Germanic.

108. Jo. This name is the shortened form of Josephine or Joanne, or any other name beginning with Jo.

109. Joss. This is a popular shortened version of Jocelyn. A famous example of someone with this name is singer Joss Stone.

More Short Girl Names That Start With J

Long Girl Names That Start With J

For beautiful baby girl names that start with J, have a look at these lovely long baby names. From India and Persia to Russia and the Netherlands, these lovely names just roll of the tongue. 120. Jaswinder. This lovely name comes from the Sanskrit word yashas meaning “fame,” “praise,” or “glory.” It’s mostly used by the Sikh community for both boys and girls.

121. Jekaterina. This Russian form of Katherine, also spelled Yekaterina, is an interesting choice if you want a long, unique, and regal name.

122. Jessamine. This is another form of the name Jasmin, but it also refers to the flowering plants in the cestrum family. It’s a beautiful J girl name especially if you like the sounds of jessa and mine together.

123. Jannatul Ferdous. You get not one, but two names with this one. It’s a name used in Bengali that comes from the Arabic phrase Jannat al-firdaws, meaning “gardens of paradise.”

124. Johanneke. This is a Dutch diminutive of the name Johanna, and a lovely, long, elegant name for your little one.

125. Josceline. This is a different way to spell the name Jocelyn, and a lovely choice if you want to combine jos with celine.

126. Jumanah. Jumanah is an Arabic girls’ name meaning “pearl.”

127. Jyotsana. Meaning “moonlight” in Sanskrit, Jyotsana is a beautiful name you may be considering, especially if your family has ties to India.

128. Jacquetta. Another playful feminine variation on the name Jacques.

129. Jahanara. Coming from the Persian words Jahan, meaning “world” and ara, meaning “decorate” or “adorn”, this is a beautiful name for your little girl. Jahanara was actually the name of the eldest daughter of the seventeenth-century Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal.

Even More Girl Names That Start With J

Need more ideas? Here are some more girl names that start with J.

The Bottom Line

If you’re still in need of inspiration, then perhaps you’d like to see more girl names from other letters of the alphabet, like girl names that start with K. Or maybe even look at other inspirations, such as Hawaiian girl names, Spanish baby girl names or Italian girl names. Now is a good time, whether you are early in your pregnancy or getting ready to pack your hospital bag, to download the Pampers Club app so you can get rewards and discounts for your diapers.