Where does the name Jim come from?

Jim is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is Jim a boy or a girl name?

Jim is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 153,061 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Jim in 2023?

Jim ranks #4060 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1959 with 5,688 babies.

How do you pronounce Jim?

Jim is pronounced JIM (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Jim?

Jim is also written as Jimmy, James, Jimmie.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

Jim

A short form of James, ultimately from Hebrew Yaakov ('Jacob') meaning 'supplanter' or 'one who follows'. The plain-American everyman name of the mid-20th century.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

153,061 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

27 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JA short form of James, ultimately from Hebrew Yaakov ('Jacob') meaning 'supplanter' or 'one who follows'. The plain-American everyman name of the mid-20th century.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Jim".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Jimmy Most common James Jimmie

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Jim.

J
Jim Henson (Muppets creator)
J
Jim Carrey (actor and comedian)
J
Jim Morrison (The Doors)

Quick answers

People often ask about Jim.

What does the name Jim mean?: Jim means a short form of James, ultimately from Hebrew Yaakov ('Jacob') meaning 'supplanter' or 'one who follows'. The plain-American everyman name of the mid-20th century.
Where does the name Jim come from?: Jim is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is Jim a boy or a girl name?: Jim is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 153,061 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Jim in 2023?: Jim ranks #4060 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1959 with 5,688 babies.
How do you pronounce Jim?: Jim is pronounced JIM (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Jim?: Jim is also written as Jimmy, James, Jimmie.

Similar names

If you love Jim, also consider…

James

Boy ·Hebrew

Supplanter; one who follows

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

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.