What does the name James mean?

James means supplanter; one who follows. English form of Jacob.

Where does the name James come from?

James is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is James a boy or a girl name?

James is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name James are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name James in 2023?

James ranks #2325 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 95,024 babies.

How do you pronounce James?

James is pronounced JAYMZ (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of James?

James is also written as Jacob, Jaime, Giacomo.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

James

Supplanter; one who follows. English form of Jacob.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

5,226,837 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

11,818 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JSupplanter; one who follows. English form of Jacob.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "James".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Jacob Most common Jaime Giacomo

Famous bearers

People who carry the name James.

J
James Madison (US President)
J
James Baldwin (author)

Quick answers

People often ask about James.

What does the name James mean?: James means supplanter; one who follows. English form of Jacob.
Where does the name James come from?: James is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is James a boy or a girl name?: James is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name James are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name James in 2023?: James ranks #2325 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 95,024 babies.
How do you pronounce James?: James is pronounced JAYMZ (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of James?: James is also written as Jacob, Jaime, Giacomo.

Similar names

If you love James, also consider…

Michael

#16

Boy ·Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

#133

Girl ·Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

God is my oath; consecrated to God

Supplanter; one who follows

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.