How to say it
JER · e · my
/ˈdʒɛr.ə.mi/
Masculine
Jeremy
The Lord exalts
What it means
The English form of Jeremiah, from the Hebrew Yirmeyahu, 'the Lord exalts' or 'appointed by God.'
Jeremy is the medieval English vernacular form of Jeremiah, from the Hebrew Yirmeyahu, 'the Lord lifts up.' The prophet Jeremiah gave it scriptural roots, and the smoothed-down Jeremy has been in English use since the Middle Ages. It peaked in the US in the 1970s and stays a recognizable, friendly classic, with Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy' and actor Jeremy Irons among its cultural marks. Jem and Jez are the shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #14 in 1976, currently #292 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Jeremy is the English form of the biblical Jeremiah.
- Nickname
Jem and Jez serve as shorts.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Jeremy Irons English Academy Award-winning actor
- Jeremiah the Hebrew prophet whose name Jeremy descends from
Spelling variants
- Jeremie
- Jérémie
- Jeramy
Names with the same feeling
See Jeremy from another angle
By meaning
By style