Jayson is a name of American origin, derived from the combination of two popular names: Jason and James. The name was created in the late 20th century and gained popularity during the 1980s and 1990s.
Jason is a Greek name that means "healer" or "to heal." It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "iasein," which means "to heal." Jason was also the name of the hero in the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, who sailed on the ship Argo in search of the Golden Fleece.
James is an English name that means "supplanter" or "may he take hold of the heel." It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "Jacob," which means "held by the heel" or "to seize by the heal." James was also the name of several important figures in history, including Saint James the Apostle and King James I of England.
Combining Jason and James resulted in the name Jayson. The meaning of this combined name is not explicitly defined, but it can be interpreted as "healer who takes hold" or "to heal with courage." This interpretation combines the meanings of both Jason and James to create a unique significance for the name Jayson.
The use of Jayson became popularized in part due to its use by celebrities and athletes. For example, Jayson Williams is a former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Additionally, Jayson Blair is a journalist who gained notoriety for fabricating stories while working at The New York Times.
Despite its popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, the use of the name Jayson has declined in recent years. However, it remains a unique and distinctive name that combines elements from two popular names with rich historical significance.
The name Jayson experienced significant growth in popularity from the late 1960s to its peak in the early 1970s, with a total of over 35,000 births recorded between 1922 and 2023. After fluctuating between five to seventeen births annually from the 1940s to the late 1960s, Jayson's popularity began to rise sharply in 1968 with 135 births, followed by a dramatic increase to 246 births in 1969. This trend continued throughout the 1970s, reaching its zenith in 1973 with 713 births. After maintaining high popularity through the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jayson's usage began to decline gradually from the mid-1990s onwards, reaching a recent low of 484 births in 2023.