Jude
Meaning of Jude
Jude is a form of Judas, the Greek version of the Hebrew name Yehudah (Judah), generally taken to mean "praised." It is pronounced jood, rhyming with food.
The apostle St. Jude shared his name with Judas Iscariot, and in English he is usually called Jude to tell the two apart. He is the patron saint of lost causes, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis is named after him. The name also appears in Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure and the Beatles song Hey Jude. Famous bearers include the English actor Jude Law.
In the United States, Jude ranked 948th among boys' names in 1999, then climbed quickly through the 2000s. It has held a steady place since 2011, peaking at 151st in 2021, and in 2025 it ranked 155th, with 2,384 babies given the name.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as jood (/dʒuːd/)
American English
- Pronunced as jood (/dʒud/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Jude
| Jude Law is an English actor who rose from British theatre to international fame with The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1999, winning a BAFTA for supporting actor and earning an Academy Award nomination. |
| Judith Jude Pamela Kelly is a British theatre director and producer, founder of the Women of the World Festival, former Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre in London, and since 2025 Master of St Catherine's College, Oxford. |
| Jude Deveraux is an American historical romance author with over 40 novels, many New York Times bestsellers including A Knight in Shining Armor and Remembrance, over 50 million copies sold by 2016, and an appearance as herself in the 1987 documentary Where the Heart Roams. |
| Jude is a notable American singer and songwriter. |
| Jude Hill is a Northern Irish child actor who won the Critics Choice Award for Best Young Performer for his lead role in the Kenneth Branagh film Belfast and later starred in A Haunting in Venice. |
| Jude Bolton is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League from 1999 to 2013. |
| Claire Jude Demorest is an American actress and singer known for Dallas and Star. |
