Jason is a popular given name of Greek origin. It comes from the Greek word "Iason," which means "healer" or "to cure." In Greek mythology, Jason was the leader of the Argonauts, a group of heroes who sailed on the ship Argo to find and retrieve the Golden Fleece. This story has made Jason's name widely known throughout history.
The name Jason first appeared in print in the 17th century. It became popular as a given name during the Victorian era and has remained so ever since. In the United States, it has been among the top 500 most popular boys' names since at least 1912.
Some famous people named Jason include actor Jason Momoa, basketball player Jason Kidd, and writer Jason Fried. Overall, the name Jason is a classic choice with a strong historical foundation and a meaningful meaning.
The name Jason experienced significant fluctuations over the given period of two centuries plus. Starting with just 20 births in 1880, it reached a peak of 16490 births in 1969, with a total of 1047320 births over this span. After the mid-1970s, there was a gradual decline in popularity, reaching its lowest point recently with only 2456 births recorded in 2023.