
Origin, Meaning, And History of Jude
The name Jude is likely of Hebrew origin meaning ‘praised’, derived from the word ‘Judah.’ It is also thought to be derived from the Latin ‘Judaes’ meaning ‘Jew.’ Jude can also mean ‘minor ruler’ or ‘prince.’
The Latin name Judaes is related to Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah in the Bible. He was the head of one of the 12 tribes of Israel and the other 11 tribes descended from Judah’s brothers. The tribe of Judah settled in the region of Jerusalem and became the most powerful tribe. It produced some of the greatest kings like David and Solomon.
Jude or Judah is one of the brothers of Jesus in the New Testament and the author of the Epistle of Jude, which is considered canonical by the Christians. Jude also bears reference to Judea, an ancient region under Persian, Greek, and Roman reign corresponding to the Biblical Judah. Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament and is generally identified as Thaddeus.
The name can be used as a nickname for Jay, Ju, Judd, and Judie with variations like Juda, Judah, Judas, Judge, Judsen, and Judson.
Jude is a popular name and has been in popularity in the US since the 2000s. Jude became a household name with the Beatles’ song ‘Hey Jude’ sung by McCartney, which remains a popular song. Jude Fawley is the protagonist in Thomas Hardy’s 1895 novel ‘Jude The Obscure’. He is a young man of unknown origin who aspires for a place in the church and seeks a university education. In the critically acclaimed bestseller ‘A Little Life’ by American author Hanya Yanagihara, Jude St Francis is a genius mathematician and lawyer who is one of the four central characters in the novel.
How To Pronounce Jude?
Famous People With The Name Jude
- Jude LawEnglish actor, and recipient of the British Academy Award
- Jude AngeliniAmerican radio personality, and known as ‘Rude Jude’
- Jude BellinghamEnglish football player, playing for the England National Football team as a midfielder
- Jude DeverauxAmerican novelist, mostly known for historical romances
Jude On The Popularity Chart
Jude is a unisex name that has risen in popularity since the 2000s and entered the top 150 names list. The graphs below show the name’s popularity over time.
Popularity Over Time
The name Jude took a huge leap in popularity from just seven babies per million in 1980 to 145 babies per million in 2018.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
The name started to rise in popularity in the late 1990s and ranked in the top 2000 most popular names in the latter half of the 2000s.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Jude
If you want some similar-sounding names as Jude, here are some more options for you as a parent.
Names With The Same Meaning As Jude
Are you dubious about whether Jude is the right choice for your infant? Discover more names with similar meanings in this list.
Name Numerology For Jude


