The baby name Japheth is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʒeɪfɛθ/ (JAY-feth); Hebrew: /ˈjɛfɛt/ (YEH-fet).
Japheth is Hebrew in Origin.
The baby name Japheth is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʒeɪfɛθ/ (JAY-feth); Hebrew: /ˈjɛfɛt/ (YEH-fet).
Japheth is Hebrew in Origin.
Japheth is the Anglicized form of Hebrew Yefet (Yefet, יפת), name of Noah’s son in Genesis. The text plays on his name - “May God enlarge Japheth” (Gen 9:27) - so scholars read its sense as “expansion,” “he will be enlarged,” or a wish-name “may he enlarge.” A secondary folk link connects it to Hebrew yafeh “beautiful,” prompting some to read “beauty,” but “expansion” remains the prevailing interpretation.
It reached Europe through the Septuagint Iapheth and Latin Iapheth/Japheth, appearing in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition. Usage in English surfaced among Puritans yet remained uncommon; it persisted in Jewish communities as Yefet/Yafet and today appears in East Africa as Japhet via biblical naming. Recorded variants include Japhet, Jafeth, Jafet, and Iafet; Hebrew Yefet or Yafet; Spanish Jafet; Portuguese Jafé; French Japhet; Turkish Yafes; and Arabic Yāfith. The name carries a dignified, antique aura.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM | 0 | #56 | 1 | 2,592 | |
| PH | 0 | #110 | 1 | 5,607 | |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #153 | 2 | 4,685 |
| AE | 0 | #186 | 2 | 10,220 | |
| GH | 0 | #248 | 1 | 5,396 | |
| NA | Boys | 0 | #250 | 4 | 6,830 |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #255 | 2 | 7,111 |
| NG | 0 | #266 | 7 | 5,926 | |
| SG | 0 | #280 | 3 | 11,010 | |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #290 | 4 | 6,876 |
| Canada | Boys | 2021 | #311 | 5 | 2,600 |
| SA | 0 | #312 | 1 | 10,560 | |
| GH | Boys | 0 | #328 | 18 | 8,138 |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #373 | 11 | 11,440 |
| PH | Girls | 0 | #429 | 1 | 13,098 |
| ZA | 0 | #472 | 3 | 14,421 | |
| PA | Boys | 0 | #505 | 1 | 9,305 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #553 | 5 | 12,905 |
| CM | Boys | 0 | #568 | 8 | 12,054 |
| BH | 0 | #586 | 2 | 17,937 | |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #673 | 302 | 16,906 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #678 | 20 | 17,960 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #737 | 7 | 18,093 |
| NG | Girls | 0 | #776 | 11 | 15,093 |
| United States | Boys | 2024 | #856 | 37 | 7,044 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #918 | 1 | 17,948 |
| EG | Boys | 0 | #924 | 2 | 15,035 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #925 | 2 | 14,506 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #978 | 4 | 15,656 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,029 | 5 | 16,355 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #1,037 | 3 | 16,750 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,090 | 22 | 25,439 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,141 | 3 | 22,615 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,157 | 22 | 25,619 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,236 | 1 | 25,928 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,602 | 13 | 28,008 |
Japheth is popular in 25 countries — most recent births per country:
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