James

James - A popular male name

James appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #2. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named James and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name James? 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 James. The baby boy name James was given to 11,945 baby boys in 2025, ranking #6 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 123 baby boys were given this name - making this a popular male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. James peaked in popularity 86 years ago in 1940 on position 1.

Famous with this name

How would you rate James, 1-5?

James is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? James is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #1 - and is the least popular in New Mexico at position #24.

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 James is where you live.

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James origin and meaning

Hebrew, via Greek and Latin

Supplanter; heel-holder — the meanings attached to its root name, Jacob

James and Jacob are the same name twice: Hebrew Ya'akov became Greek Iakobos and Latin Iacobus, and a later Latin form, Jacomus, gave English its James. Kings, apostles and presidents have kept it near the top of the charts for centuries.

Attested etymology

James is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to James

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

Jonas / Junius / Jones / Jennings / Junious / Jaymes / Juanjose / Johannes / Jens / Jessejames /

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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 James

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 James a common or unique name?

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

What is the number of syllables for the name James?

1 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

JAYMZ · /dʒeɪmz/

Around the world

• Séamus (Irish) — The Irish form of James.
• Hamish (Scottish) — The Scottish form of James.
• Jaime (Spanish) — Standard Spanish form.
• Giacomo (Italian) — Standard Italian form.
• Jacques (French) — The French form, from the same Latin root.

Spellings and nicknames

• Jaymes — Modern respelling.

Nicknames: JimJimmyJamieJem

Famous bearers

• King James I — King of England; commissioned the King James Bible (1566–1625) Historical
• James Madison — 4th President of the United States (1751–1836) Historical
• James Bond — Ian Fleming's fictional spy, 007 (Fictional, 1953) Fictional

Style

ClassicBiblicalRoyal

Why parents choose it

James is the steadiest name in the English-speaking world — apostles, kings and presidents, yet it sounds gentle. Parents choose it when they want a name that has never once been out of place.

Worth knowing

• It is occasionally chosen for girls (it has a small but real girls' presence in the data), so a boy James may meet one.