Meaning
A name that means something.
JSupplanter; one who follows. Biblical patriarch.
Advertisement
Popularity over time
975,534 U.S. births recorded
from 1880–2023.
A 143-year arc in numbers.
Popularity · 1880–2023
7,021 births in 2023
1880 1951 2023
Babies named per year Peak year Most recent
Islamic depth
Classical commentary, verse references, and what the name means in tradition. Prophet in the Qur'an.
Yaʿqūb يَعْقُوب
Yaqub (Jacob), also called Isra’il, is the son of Ishaq and the father of Yusuf and his brothers. His story is woven through Sura Yusuf as a portrait of patience in loss and faith in reunion.
From the Qur'an
""He said, ‘I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.’""
""Or were you witnesses when death approached Yaqub, when he said to his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’""
Variants & spellings
Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint. 3 ways to spell "Jacob".
Name family
Jacob / Yaqub / Ya’akov
Son of Isaac, father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Named Israel after wrestling with the angel; in Islam, prophet and ancestor of Yusuf.
Yaqub يَعْقُوب
Arabic Yaakov יַעֲקֹב
Hebrew Jacob
English / biblical Jacques
French Related guides
Read more in the Almanac.
Advertisement
Famous bearers
People who carry the name Jacob.
- JJacob Grimm (folklorist)
Quick answers
People often ask about Jacob.
- What does the name Jacob mean?
- Jacob means supplanter; one who follows. Biblical patriarch.
- Where does the name Jacob come from?
- Jacob is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
- Is Jacob a boy or a girl name?
- Jacob is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Jacob are girls and 100% are boys.
- How popular is the name Jacob in 2023?
- Jacob ranks #14130 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1998 with 36,091 babies.
- How do you pronounce Jacob?
- Jacob is pronounced JAY-kub (2 syllables).
- Is Jacob mentioned in the Qur'an?
- Yaqub (Jacob), also called Isra’il, is the son of Ishaq and the father of Yusuf and his brothers.
- What are common spellings of Jacob?
- Jacob is also written as James, Jakub, Yaakov.
Similar names
If you love Jacob, also consider…
Advertisement
About this page
Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.