Jaxon

Photo of Jaxon Engels by Zach Isaacs

Jaxon With An X

by Jaxon Engels

In recent years, the name Jaxon has grown in popularity, and I sometimes joke that I deserve credit for this trend. In 2006, the year I was born, Jaxon ranked 212th among U.S. baby names ("Popularity"). Since then, it has climbed as high as 39th, so clearly, everyone after 2006 was named in my honor.

All humor aside, my mom used to tell me the story of how I got my name every year on the night before my birthday. As a child, I sometimes wished there was a more interesting, more dramatic story behind it. However, over time, I’ve come to appreciate the family tradition and uniqueness that my name represents. My mom always begins by explaining that my grandfather’s name is John, but everyone calls him Jack. Growing up, her older brother, whose name is Jack, was affectionately called Jackson by my grandfather. This was common, as Jackson literally means “Son of Jack,” ("Meaning"). Given this, it would make sense to assume that my name simply came from my uncle’s nickname with a twist. While that’s partly true, there’s a bit more to the story.

My mom was adamant that all her children have names that were already in our family, so naming me a variation of Jackson made sense. However, the spelling of my name was inspired by something completely different—a soap opera. In the early 2000s, my mom used to watch General Hospital, which featured a character named Jasper “Jax” Jacks (Levinsky). She liked the name Jax so much that it led to her spelling my name with an X, and she always called me Jax for short growing up. Beyond its connection to my family, Jaxon also carries the meaning “God has been gracious” or “He shows favor,” ("Jaxon") which is something I find very meaningful and try to relate to often.

The distinctiveness of my name has helped shape both my identity and my relationship with it. I’ve always enjoyed standing out, which I think is a reflection of the spelling with an X. I don’t know a single adult named Jaxon, although I see more kids with the same spelling. I still feel a sense of rarity but whenever I meet another Jaxon, I experience a mix of emotions—an instant connection but also the realization that my name is becoming more common. As a child, I often had my name mispronounced as “Jason” or “Jack,” and some substitute teachers wouldn’t even attempt it. But those days are long gone, a sign of just how much the name has grown in recognition.

Though Jaxon may not be as rare as it once was, my connection to it remains deeply personal. It has very meaningful family ties and also has its individuality, both of which have played a role in shaping who I am. Whether my name continues to rise in popularity or not, it will always be uniquely mine.

Works Cited

“Jaxon.” FamilyEducation, August 2024, https://www.familyeducation.com/baby-names/

name-meaning/jaxon#:~:text=Jaxon%2C%20a%20new%20form%20of,named%20their%20second%20son%20Jaxon, Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

Levinsky, Mara, “ICYMI: Catching Up With GH’s Ingo Rademacher (Jax).” SoapOperaDigest,

August 2016, https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-catching-up-with-ghs-

ingo-rademacher-jax/, Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

“Meaning of the First Name Jackson.” Ancestry, 2025,

https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/jackson, Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

“Popularity of Jaxon.” U.S. Social Security Administration Baby Name Database, U.S. Social

Security Administration, n.d., ssa.gov/oact/babynames, Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

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