Mostly boys · English variation of Jacob, Hebrew

James

“supplanter”

Say it JAYMZPronunciation may vary by region.

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A little maybe, saved for later.

The story behind the name

Meet James.

An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.

There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..

James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).

A little perspective

How popular is James?

United States · 2025
Girls · 2025#2,87359 recorded births
Boys · 2025#611,945 recorded births

Recorded US births over time

2014202514,9200
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
YearCategoryUS rankBirths
2025Boys611,945
2025Girls2,87359
2024Boys511,856
2024Girls2,59468
2023Boys411,739
2023Girls2,32579
2022Boys412,119
2022Girls2,21785
2021Boys512,474
2021Girls2,56968
2020Boys612,390
2020Girls2,58366
2019Boys613,198
2019Girls2,57668
2018Boys413,650
2018Girls3,45945
2017Boys414,362
2017Girls2,36877
2016Boys514,920
2016Girls2,62967
2015Boys714,865
2015Girls3,87939
2014Boys914,464
2014Girls3,68042

Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.

A few ways to make it theirs.

Nicknames

No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.

Variations & related forms

ShamusJaapHamishShayGiacomoJagoSeumasDiegoJockJamieSéamasSeumus

Keep the possibilities coming

If you love James…

More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.