Jed

Jed is a short form of Jedidiah, a Hebrew name meaning “beloved of the Lord.” It reduces the longer biblical name to one strong syllable while preserving a meaningful family connection. In the biblical account, Jedidiah is another name given to Solomon, so the full form has a particular story behind its affectionate meaning.

Jed can stand on its own on a birth certificate or serve as an everyday form of Jedidiah. It also has an American television association through President Jed Bartlet in The West Wing, whose longer name follows a different route. That example is a useful reminder that a short name can have more than one personal history even when one traditional derivation is especially well established.