The story behind Jesus
From Middle English Jhesus, Iesus, from Latin Iēsūs, from Ancient Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs), from Biblical Hebrew יֵשׁוּעַ (yēšū́aʿ), a contracted form of יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (yəhōšúaʿ, “Joshua”), meaning "the Lord saves". The form יֵשׁוּעַ (yēšū́aʿ) is attested in some of the later books of the Hebrew Bible (Ezra–Nehemiah), and translated as Jeshua or Yeshua in some English editions (the former appearing in the King James Version). The Greek texts make no distinction between Jesus and Joshua, referring to them both as Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs). In the Wycliffe Bible (Middle English), the forms used are Jhesus and Jhesu.
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈd͡ʒizəs/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒiːzəs/
- Received-Pronunciation: [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯zəs] ~ [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯zs̩]
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒiːˌzʌs/
- Received-Pronunciation: [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯ˌzʌs]
- General-American: [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯zəs] ~ [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯zs̩]
- General-South-African: /ˈd͡ʒiːzɨ̞s/
- General-South-African: [ˈd͡ʒɪi̯zɨ̞s]
- South-Asia: /ˈd͡ʒiːzəs/
- South-Asia: [ˈd͡ʒiːzɐs]
- South-Asia: /ˈd͡ʒiːsəs/
- South-Asia: [ˈd͡ʒiːsɐs]
- English; dialect unspecified: /heɪ̯ˈsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [heɪ̯ˈsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈheɪ̯ˌsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [ˈheɪ̯ˌsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /hɛˈsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [hɛˈsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈhɛˌsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [ˈhɛˌsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /xeɪ̯ˈsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [xeɪ̯ˈsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈxeɪ̯ˌsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [ˈxeɪ̯ˌsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /xɛˈsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [xɛˈsʊu̯s]
- English; dialect unspecified: /ˈxɛˌsuːs/
- English; dialect unspecified: [ˈxɛˌsʊu̯s]
Popularity
Jesus ranked #13960 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Jesus
Carlos
Borrowed from Portuguese and Spanish Carlos. Doublet of Carl, Charles, and Karl. From Latin Carolus, of Germanic origin. Doublet of Charles. Inherited from Latin Carolus, of…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Cephas
Borrowed from Latin Cēphās, from Ancient Greek Κηφᾶς (Kēphâs), from Aramaic כֵּיפָא/Classical Syriac ܟܐܦܐ (kēp̄ā, “stone, rock”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Delores
A female given name from Spanish, variant of Dolores.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Dolores
Borrowed from Spanish Dolores. Borrowed from Spanish Dolores. Doublet of dores.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Dolorès
From Spanish Dolores.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Lucas
From Latin Lucas, from Ancient Greek Λουκᾶς (Loukâs). See the Greek entry for more. Ultimately from Ancient Greek Λουκᾶς (Loukâs), perchance via Latin Lucas. From Old…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Jesus
Abraham
Middle English Abraham English Abraham From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abundio
Borrowed from Latin Abundius. Borrowed from Spanish Abundio.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adelina
Borrowed from Spanish Adelina.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Jesus
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abel
English Abel From Middle English Abel, from Old English Ābel, from Latin Abel, from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel, “Abel”), possibly from the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abraham
Middle English Abraham English Abraham From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length