The name Jude has risen sharply in popularity in England and Wales, climbing to become the 14th most popular boys' name after the number of newborns given it more than doubled over the past decade — a 107 per cent increase. The Daily Mail attributes the surge in part to England footballer Jude Bellingham, whose rise to prominence has made him one of the national team's most recognisable stars and, the article suggests, a source of inspiration for parents.

Last year, 2,153 boys were named Jude out of more than 300,000 births, a jump of 47 places in the rankings over ten years. The name peaked in 2024 with 2,540 newborns, the same year Bellingham scored a late equaliser against Slovakia at Euro 2024. The 23-year-old Real Madrid midfielder, who began his career at Birmingham City, recently scored twice in 96 seconds to help England beat Mexico at this year's World Cup. The Beatles song "Hey Jude" — now sung by England fans in his honour — is also credited with keeping the name in the public consciousness.