James
JAYMZ /dʒeɪmz/
Meaning of James
James is the English form of the Late Latin Iacomus, itself a contraction of Iacobus — the same Hebrew root (יַעֲקֹב, Ya'akov, Jacob) that gives Jacob in English. The two names diverged in Western Europe in the medieval period: Iacobus became James through French, while the older form stayed as Jacob. James and Jacob therefore have identical underlying etymology.
Current popularity of James
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #14 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #18 |
Cultural notes
Has been in the US top-20 for boys every year since 1880 — one of only a handful of names with that longevity.
Notable bearers of James
Six kings of Scotland and two of England; James Joyce; James Baldwin.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with James — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31