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Name at a glance

Jeremiah

Jeremiah is a Hebrew name often understood as the LORD appoints or the LORD exalts.

Ranked #88 in US baby names in 2025, declining over the past 5 years.

Jeremiah is remembered as a prophet who spoke through grief, opposition, and national crisis while holding out hope for a new covenant.

Browse names
OriginHebrew
GenderBoy
FeelEnduring
Pronunciationjair-uh-MY-uh

Is Jeremiah biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Jeremiah is a named person in Scripture, a major Old Testament prophet who spoke to Judah before and during the Babylonian exile.

Is Jeremiah a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Jeremiah carries cross-tradition Christian importance through its themes of calling, exile, and new covenant, with the prophet commemorated in Orthodox and Catholic calendars and long use in Christian contexts.

Plain answer

Jeremiah is a major biblical prophet's name with deep cross-tradition Christian resonance through its new-covenant theme and prophet veneration.

Confidence Moderate Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Jeremiah

Jeremiah is traditionally explained in more than one way, including the LORD appoints or the LORD exalts. Because ancient name roots can be discussed differently, the safest approach is to connect the name with God's calling and appointment.

Name story

A prophet called before birth

Jeremiah's story begins with calling. The prophet is told that God knew him before birth and appointed him for a difficult work.

That gives the name a strong sense of vocation. Jeremiah is not merely a sad name; it is a name about faithfulness when the assignment is costly.

Biblical arc

Lament and new covenant hope

Jeremiah warns Judah before exile and speaks with unusual emotional honesty. His ministry includes sorrow, protest, endurance, and the pain of being resisted.

Yet Jeremiah also contains hope, including the promise of a new covenant. For Christian readers, that makes the name both realistic and deeply hopeful.

Sound

How to pronounce Jeremiah

Phonetic
jair-uh-MY-uh
IPA
/ˌdʒɛɹəˈmaɪə/

4 syllables · stress: jair-uh-MY-uh · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Jeremy
  • Jeremie
  • Jeremias
  • Yirmiyahu
  • Geremia

Short forms and nicknames

  • Jem
  • Jerry
  • Jed

Languages

Jeremiah in other languages

Hebrew
יִרְמְיָהוּYirmiyahu
Greek
ἸερεμίαςIeremias
Latin
Jeremias
Spanish
Jeremías
French
Jérémie
German
Jeremia
Italian
Geremia
Russian
ИеремияIeremiya
Arabic
إِرْمِيَاIrmiya

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Jeremiah is important in Christian reading because of its themes of calling, repentance, exile, and new covenant promise. It gives the name theological depth beyond its sound. For more on prophet names in the Bible and the prophetic tradition, see Biblical prophet names.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Jeremiah is a major Old Testament prophet who speaks to Judah before and during the crisis of exile.

Bearers

Notable people named Jeremiah

  • biblical

    JeremiahProphet whose ministry spanned the fall of Jerusalem and the beginning of the Babylonian exile, author of the book of Jeremiah and Lamentations in Christian tradition

  • historical

    Jeremiah BurroughsEnglish Puritan minister and author of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, around 1599 to 1646

  • historical

    Jeremiah HorrocksEnglish astronomer who made the first observation of a transit of Venus in 1639, 1618 to 1641

  • modern

    Jeremiah WrightAmerican United Church of Christ pastor long associated with Trinity UCC in Chicago, born 1941

Saint

Holy Prophet Jeremiah

Traditions
Orthodox, Catholic

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Jeremiah has long been used in Christian contexts, with Jeremy as a familiar English form. The full name feels biblical, serious, and resonant.

Recent US use

Jeremiah in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#88
Peak rank
#49 in 2011
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Phonetic neighbours

Names that sound similar to Jeremiah

  • Isaiah · Three-syllable prophet name sharing the -iah ending and biblical prophetic register; Jeremiah is the longer form by one syllable.
  • Nehemiah · Four-syllable Hebrew name from the same restoration era; both end in -miah and share the open vowel pattern.

For families

For families looking at Jeremiah

Jeremiah may suit parents who want a substantial prophetic name. It carries courage, honesty, and hope rather than a simple cheerful meaning.

Common questions

What does Jeremiah mean?

Jeremiah is often understood as the LORD appoints or the LORD exalts.

Is Jeremiah a biblical name?

Yes. Jeremiah is one of the major prophets of the Old Testament.

Is Jeremy related to Jeremiah?

Yes. Jeremy is an English form related to Jeremiah.

Sources

Sources for Jeremiah

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology; meaning 'the LORD appoints' or 'the LORD exalts'.
  • The Book of Jeremiah, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical prophet; prophet to Judah before and during the exile.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Holy Prophet Jeremiah; feast day (May 1).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

IsaiahBoth are major writing prophets of pre-exilic Judah; Isaiah in the eighth century, Jeremiah in the late seventh through the exile he predicted.EzekielBoth prophesied during the exile Jeremiah foretold; Ezekiel addressed the deported community while Jeremiah remained with the remnant in Judah.EzraEzra returned from the exile Jeremiah's 70-year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11-12) framed; Jeremiah's prediction is the chronological anchor for Ezra's restoration ministry.NehemiahNehemiah's restoration of Jerusalem's walls fulfills the rebuilding Jeremiah's prophecies (Jeremiah 30-33) anticipate after the exile.