Jeremiah
Say it: jer-uh-MY-uh/ˌd͡ʒɛɹəˈmaɪə/
BoyMeans disputed: "God exalts", "God loosens" or "God is high"8 letters4 syllables
#432
in Ireland (2025)
#418 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#39
best rank (1964)
2,689
babies since 1964
Down 89
10-year rank change
Jeremiah through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #418 |
| 2024 | 11 | #339 |
| 2023 | 14 | #294 |
| 2022 | 12 | #338 |
| 2021 | 8 | #400 |
| 2020 | 14 | #299 |
| 2019 | 12 | #324 |
| 2018 | 9 | #384 |
| 2017 | 9 | #394 |
| 2016 | 13 | #329 |
| 2015 | 13 | #329 |
| 2014 | 8 | #428 |
| 2013 | 12 | #338 |
| 2012 | 12 | #336 |
| 2011 | 10 | #387 |
| 2010 | 8 | #422 |
| 2009 | 11 | #337 |
| 2008 | 20 | #244 |
| 2007 | 11 | #309 |
| 2006 | 8 | #335 |
| 2005 | 8 | #302 |
| 2004 | 10 | #263 |
| 2003 | 12 | #228 |
| 2002 | 6 | #313 |
| 2001 | 8 | #251 |
| 2000 | 15 | #177 |
| 1999 | 8 | #222 |
| 1998 | 13 | #179 |
| 1997 | 19 | #162 |
| 1996 | 15 | #185 |
| 1995 | 20 | #155 |
| 1994 | 21 | #152 |
| 1993 | 23 | #151 |
| 1992 | 16 | #174 |
| 1991 | 29 | #138 |
| 1990 | 34 | #126 |
| 1989 | 43 | #108 |
| 1988 | 35 | #126 |
| 1987 | 33 | #128 |
| 1986 | 39 | #112 |
| 1985 | 48 | #107 |
| 1984 | 54 | #99 |
| 1983 | 62 | #94 |
| 1982 | 51 | #106 |
| 1981 | 63 | #95 |
| 1980 | 73 | #90 |
| 1979 | 61 | #100 |
| 1978 | 69 | #94 |
| 1977 | 71 | #93 |
| 1976 | 78 | #89 |
| 1975 | 92 | #81 |
| 1974 | 92 | #76 |
| 1973 | 84 | #90 |
| 1972 | 112 | #70 |
| 1971 | 102 | #70 |
| 1970 | 119 | #59 |
| 1969 | 110 | #60 |
| 1968 | 107 | #56 |
| 1967 | 140 | #45 |
| 1966 | 148 | #45 |
| 1965 | 162 | #42 |
| 1964 | 161 | #39 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Jeremiah mean?
Disputed: "God exalts", "God loosens" or "God is high"
Hebrew, from Yirmeyahu, the name of an Old Testament prophet, and long used in Ireland for Diarmaid.
Say it right
jeruhMYuh
The story of Jeremiah
Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew Yirmeyahu, the name of one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, traditionally the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Lamentations. Its meaning is argued over. It is explained variously as “God exalts”, “God loosens” or “God is high”.
In Ireland the name has a second story. For centuries, when Irish names had to be put into English, men called Diarmaid were often written down as Jeremiah, even though the two names are unrelated. Darby was another English stand-in for the same name. So many Irish Jeremiahs were Diarmaids at home.
That long use shows in the data. Jeremiah was well inside the top 100 in the 1960s and 1970s. Its biggest year in the records was 1965, with 162 boys. It has become much rarer since, and 8 boys were named Jeremiah in 2025. In Northern Ireland it is rarer again, reaching number 344 in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Jeremiah (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Jeremiah (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah | 8 | 2,689 |
In Northern Ireland
#344 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #344 (2025); 7 babies since 2017.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.