Jason

The defining bearer is Jason of Iolcus, leader of the Argonauts in Greek mythology, whose quest for the Golden Fleece is recounted in the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes (3rd century BCE) and in countless later retellings.

The voyage of the Argo from Pagasae to Colchis, the seduction of the sorceress Medea, the slaying of the dragon, and the tragic Athenian aftermath dramatized in Euripides’ Medea made Jason one of the central heroes of Greek literature.

His marriage and betrayal of Medea remain among the most retold stories of classical tragedy.

The New Testament Jason appears in Acts 17, where he hosts Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and is dragged before the city authorities for sheltering them.

He is traditionally identified as one of the Seventy Disciples and is venerated as a saint, with a feast day on April 29.

This dual classical-biblical pedigree allowed the name to flourish in the Renaissance and to be adopted by Puritan families in the 17th century.

Jason was a quiet presence in US Social Security records throughout the early 20th century but exploded after 1965, riding the rerelease of Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and the broader wave of classical names. It peaked at No.

2 in 1977 and 1978, one of the most dramatic rises of any boys’ name in the modern era. After a long decline it has settled into the top 150 as of 2024, retaining its place as a Generation X classic now becoming a heritage choice.

Contemporary bearers include the actors Jason Statham, Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Jason Momoa; the singer Jason Mraz; and the horror franchise figure Jason Voorhees.

The name combines Argonaut adventure, apostolic hospitality, and one of the most powerful generational footprints of the late 20th century.