James Name Meaning & Origin
James
Origin of the name James:
From the Ecclesiastic Late Latin Iacomus, an evolution of Iacobus which is from the Ecclesiastic Iakōbos, a cognate of the Hebrew Yaakov. The name has its root in ya`aqob (supplanting, seizing by the heel). Some say Iacomus arises from an error in the transcription of manuscripts from the Greek to the Latin by an early monk. Short: Jim. Pet: Jamie, Jimmy.
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.
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US Popularity of James Over Time

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Name Lists Featuring James
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales) 2014
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Victoria) 2014
- New Zealand Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in New Zealand 2014
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in the Republic of Ireland 2014
- English and Welsh Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in England and Wales (2013)
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Northern Ireland 2014
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec) 2014
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (British Columbia) 2014
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Alberta) 2014
- French Boys Names: Most Popular Boys Names in France 2014
- Scottish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Scotland 2014
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales), 2010
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Victoria), 2010
- New Zealand Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in New Zealand, 2010
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Ireland, 2010
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Northern Ireland, 2010
- Scottish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Scotland, 2011
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Alberta), 2010
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (British Columbia), 2010
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec), 2010
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (British Columbia) for 2013
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Alberta) for 2013
- English and Welsh Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in England and Wales
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec) for 2012
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (British Columbia) for 2012
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Alberta) for 2012
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Manitoba)
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Nova Scotia) 2014
- English Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in England
- Welsh Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Wales
- Scottish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Scotland for 2012
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Northern Ireland for 2012
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in the Republic of Ireland for 2012
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales) for 2012
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Victoria) for 2012
- New Zealand Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in New Zealand for 2012
- Filipino Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Phillipines
- Scottish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Scotland
- Dutch Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in The Netherlands
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Northern Ireland
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in the Republic of Ireland
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Ontario)
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec)
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Alberta)
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (British Columbia)
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales)
- Taswegian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Tasmania
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Victoria)
- New Zealand Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in New Zealand
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Western)
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Northern)
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Southern)
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Queensland)
- English Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in England
Contribute your knowledge to the name James
- Comments and insights on the name James
- Personal experiences with the name James
My first and middle names are James Kenneth. My great grandfather used to call me Jake. Then I found out about another person also named James Kenneth who actually went by Jake. It's pretty cool that actually, the first 2 letters of James are JA, and the first 2 letters of Kenneth are KE. Put them together and you get JAKE.
My nephew Kieran's middle name is James after his great grandad who sadly died of a brain tumor 9 years before he was born. My nephew knows that he was named after his great grandad and is very proud of it!
My dad's name is James and so is his dad's name. My grandfather goes by "Big Jim" and my dad goes by "Jimmy"
My dad’s name is James Stewart and I have two uncles named Ryan James and Kenneth James.
- Nicknames for James
Jaime
Jamie
Jim/Jimmy
Mezzie
Jem- Meanings and history of the name James
Of Hebrew origin, meaning "He who Supplants".
- Famous real-life people named James
James Madison
LeBron James - NBA Superstar from Akron Ohio, played for Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and L.A. Lakers.- James in song, story & screen
James “Jem” Carstairs - Cassandra Clare’s trilogy “The Infernal Devices”