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James

/JAYMZ/

James is a boy name of Hebrew origin, meaning Supplanter, one who follows.

  • GenderBoy
  • OriginHebrew
  • StyleClassic
  • Syllables1
  • US rank#6

What does James mean?

Supplanter, one who follows

James and Jacob are the same name. The Hebrew Yaakov became Greek Iakobos, then Latin Iacobus, which softened in Late Latin to Iacomus - and that second form is what gives Italian Giacomo, Spanish Jaime, French Jacques and English James, while the first gives Jacob.

The story behind the name

Two apostles bore the name, and the shrine of Saint James at Santiago de Compostela became one of the three great pilgrimage destinations of medieval Christendom.

The name became royal in Scotland with seven kings, and English when James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne as James I in 1603 - the king who commissioned the translation of the Bible that carries his name.

James has never left the American top twenty since records began in 1880, which almost no other name can claim, and it returned to the top five in the 2020s.

Notable people named James

  • James the Greater, apostle
  • James VI and I, king of Scotland and England
  • James Baldwin, writer
  • James Clerk Maxwell, physicist
  • James Joyce, novelist

How popular is James?

Popularity in the United States

James has been given to 5,213,689 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 1950s. Its use has declined since that peak.

About 1 in 134 babies born in the United States were given this name in the most recent year on record.

047,51195,021188019502020
Babies named James per year in the United States, 1880–2020. Source: Social Security Administration

Popularity in France

James has been given to 26,701 babies in France since 1900, peaking in the 1950s. It has held a steady level of use since.

0197393190019612022
Babies named James per year in France, 1900–2022. Source: INSEE

Popularity in Spain

There are 1,555 people called James living in Spain, with an average age of 47.6.

5,213,689 Babies named since 1880
1950s Peak decade
Falling Recent trend

Variants and related names

Other spellings: Jaime, Jaymes, Jamie

Related names: Jacob, Jamie, Jack, Jacques, Giacomo, Diego

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Frequently asked questions about James

What does the name James mean?

James means Supplanter, one who follows. It is of Hebrew origin.

Is James a boy's or a girl's name?

James is most often given to boys.

How do you pronounce James?

James is pronounced JAYMZ.

How popular is the name James?

James has been given to 5,213,689 babies in the United States since 1880, peaking in the 1950s. Its use has declined since that peak.

What are other spellings of James?

Common variants include Jaime, Jaymes, Jamie.