Jairus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yair, which means "he shines" or "he enlightens"; in the Gospels Jairus is the synagogue leader whose twelve-year-old daughter Jesus raises from the dead. The name has a quiet following among American Christian families who want something rarer than Josiah. Jairus ranked number 1691 in 2000, peaked at number 1665 in 2001 and stood at number 2622 in 2025 with 50 boys.