Updated February 19, 2024

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Boy name origins & meanings

james baby name

  • Hebrew : Supplanter, substitute; the patron saint of Spain

James is a modern descendant of Iacobus, the Latin form of the Hebrew name Jacob, another one of the top baby names for boys this year. James has biblical roots and was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. It also has royal roots and was the name of kinds of both England and Scotland. 

Syllables: 2

Boy name variations

Jaymes

Jaymes

+ 7% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jaime

Jaime

+ 2% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Jaymie

Jaymie

- 11% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamy

Jamy

+ 20% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jaimie

Jaimie

+ 20% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Jamesy

Jamesy

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jameson

Jameson

- 6% this year
Masculine
Common
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Jamey

Jamey

+ 40% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Jan

Jan

+ 10% this year
Neutral
Rare
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Jay

Jay

+ 3% this year
Masculine
Uncommon
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Jim

Jim

- 8% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jimmy

Jimmy

- 2% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jimmie

Jimmie

- 26% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jimbo

Jimbo

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Diego

Diego

+ 1% this year
Masculine
Common
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Giacomo

Giacomo

+ 48% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Seamus

Seamus

- 10% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Sheamus

Sheamus

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Shamus

Shamus

- 45% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Hamish

Hamish

- 12% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Santiago

Santiago

+ 19% this year
Masculine
Common
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Jaemes

Jaemes

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jaimes

Jaimes

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jaemie

Jaemie

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jaemy

Jaemy

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jame

Jame

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jameyel

Jameyel

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jami

Jami

+ 25% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamia

Jamia

- 8% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamiah

Jamiah

- 40% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamian

Jamian

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamiee

Jamiee

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamme

Jamme

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jammey

Jammey

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jammie

Jammie

+ 20% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jammy

Jammy

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamye

Jamye

+ 33% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jameze

Jameze

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamze

Jamze

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamieson

Jamieson

+ 7% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamison

Jamison

- 14% this year
Masculine
Rare
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Jamiesen

Jamiesen

0 % this year
Masculine
Rare
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How Popular Is The Name James

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : from a personal name that has the same origin as Jacob. However, among English speakers, it is now felt to be a separate name in its own right. This is largely because in the Authorized Version of the Bible (1611) the form James is used in the New Testament as the name of two of Christ’s apostles (James the brother of John and James the brother of Andrew), whereas in the Old Testament the brother of Esau is called Jacob. The form James comes from Latin Jacobus via Late Latin Jac(o)mus, which also gave rise to Jaime, the regular form of the name in Spanish (as opposed to the learned Jacobo). See also Jack and Jackman. This is a common surname throughout the British Isles, particularly in South Wales.

Famous people with this first name

Popularity of the Name James 

According to Social Security Administration data, James has remained in the number six position for two years in a row. It has been in the top 10 names since 2014 and top 20 names since 2000.

However, it is the 71st most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years James was at its peak popularity in May 2019.

While the name James has been around since biblical times, it has been one of the most popular baby boys names for most of the 20th century. It originally rose to popularity during the Baby Boom from 1940 to 1960, but has hung around in popularity as one of the most popular classic names for boys. While there are many variations of the name (Jim, Jimbo, Jimmy, Jamie, etc.), the original form James is most popular today. Today its popularity may be attributed to stars like James Dean, LeBron James, James Franco, James Harden, and fictional character James Bond.

Where is the Name James Popular?

James was searched for most often in the following states:

Nicknames for James

  • Jamie
  • Jay
  • Jem
  • Jim
  • Jimmy

"James" Pairs well with these middle names