Jacques

Jacques - A very unique male name

Jacques appeared on the charts for the first time in 1912 on position #918. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jacques and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jacques? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Jacques. The baby boy name Jacques was given to 43 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1817 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 34,100 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jacques peaked in popularity 57 years ago in 1969 on position 600.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jacques, 1-5?

Jacques is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jacques is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #553 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,868.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Jacques is where you live.

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Jacques origin and meaning

French — from Hebrew via Latin

The French form of Jacob / James, ultimately from Hebrew Yaakov, traditionally 'supplanter' or 'may God protect'

Jacques is the French form of the name that became Jacob and James in English, carried by saints, kings' courtiers and generations of Frenchmen. In the US it has been used steadily since 1912, never commonly. It brings instant French polish that the English forms do not.

Attested etymology

Jacques is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Jacques, pop culture references for the name Jacques and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Jacques

We've found the following names that sound similar to Jacques, sorted by popularity.

Joshua / Jack / Jose / Joe / Jesse / Jesus / Jay / Josiah / Jake / Jessie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Jacques

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Jacques a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Jacques?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ZHAHK · /ʒɑːk/
The site's syllable table lists 2 syllables, but Jacques is spoken as one syllable — ZHAHK.

Around the world

• Jacques (French) — Original French form
• Jaime (Spanish) — The Spanish cousin form of the same Jacob/James name
• Giacomo (Italian) — The Italian form of the same name

Spellings and nicknames

• Jaquez — An American respelling influenced by Spanish surnames
• Jacquez — A rarer respelling

Famous bearers

• Jacques Cousteau — French ocean explorer and filmmaker who made this name familiar worldwide (1910–1997) Historical
• Jacques Chirac — President of France, 1995–2007 (1932–2019) Contemporary

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Jacques for unmistakable French elegance in a single syllable. It is quietly rising in the US while remaining rare.

Worth knowing

• English speakers often attempt two syllables (jah-KWEZ) or say Jack
• The final s is silent, which must be explained constantly