Jiraiya

Jiraiya - A very unique male name

Jiraiya appeared on the charts for the first time in 2009 on position #4151. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jiraiya and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jiraiya? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Jiraiya. The baby boy name Jiraiya was given to 181 baby boys in 2025, ranking #999 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 8,101 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jiraiya peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 739.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jiraiya, 1-5?

Jiraiya is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jiraiya is currently topping the baby name charts in New Mexico at position #285 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,888.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Jiraiya is where you live.

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Jiraiya origin and meaning

Japanese (literary and folk-tale name)

Uncertain — the kanji are ateji (sound characters); folk readings like 'I have come by myself' are traditional, not a secure etymology

Jiraiya is the hero of the Japanese folk tale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari, a ninja who commands toad magic, and a beloved mentor character in Naruto, which drives modern use. US births begin in 2009, after Naruto's English-language run, and peaked in 2023. The name is literary first and a baby name second.

Origin uncertain

Jiraiya is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Jiraiya, pop culture references for the name Jiraiya and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Jiraiya

We've found the following names that sound similar to Jiraiya, sorted by popularity.

Jerry / Jairo / Jagger / Jair / Jakari / Jahir / Jere / Jacari / Jacorey / Jrue /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Jiraiya

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Jiraiya a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Jiraiya?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

jee-RY-uh · /dʒɪˈraɪ.ə/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Jiraiya — Toad-riding ninja hero of the folk tale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari, and later a central character in Naruto (Fictional, 1839) Fictional

Style

LiteraryInternational

Why parents choose it

Jiraiya is chosen overwhelmingly by anime and manga fans honouring one of Naruto's most loved characters. At around the top 1000 it is the most established fan name in this set.

Worth knowing

• Expect the Naruto reference to be the whole conversation for anyone who recognises it — and blank looks from everyone else.
• Spelling is frequently garbled to Jiraya or Jiriya.