Jude: meaning and UK use

What does Jude mean?

Jude is the form used in many English New Testament translations to distinguish one apostle from Judas Iscariot. The same spelling also has a separate feminine entry.

Language or name family covered

English biblical name family

Meaning or derivation

A variant of Judas

Our browsing group

boy; modern, classic

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Jude

Pronunciation and related forms

JOOD (English)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

No variants or nicknames have been verified for this entry. A family nickname does not need to be an established dictionary form.

How popular is Jude?

In 2025, 2,153 baby boys in England and Wales were registered as Jude, making it the 14th most popular boys’ name. That is down 3 places on 2024, when it ranked 11th. Ten years earlier, in 2015, it ranked 61st, so it has climbed 47 places in a decade. Its best year in the ONS series was 2024, at 11th. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (boys)

14th

2025 registrations

2,153

Best rank in this series

11th (2024)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Jude: rank and number of baby boys by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	14	2,153
2024	11	2,540
2023	15	2,177
2022	32	1,601
2021	40	1,482
2020	53	1,175
2019	57	1,163
2018	56	1,182
2017	50	1,288
2016	62	1,047
2015	61	1,040
2014	65	1,018
2013	72	867
2012	71	920
2011	83	764
2010	86	757
2009	98	627
2008	103	603
2007	110	539
2006	117	459
2005	103	560
2004	94	596
2003	97	537
2002	106	452
2001	127	338
2000	174	203
1999	261	108
1998	415	52
1997	505	37
1996	654	24

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 boys series is 26,309. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Jude

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Leomodern, classic · Lion
• Aaravmodern · Crying, howling or noise
• Albiemodern · A short form of Albert
• Archiemodern · A short form of Archibald
• Arjunclassic · A modern form of Arjuna
• Arlomodern · Meaning uncertain

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Jude, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.