Jacob - name meaning, origin

The boy's name Jacob \j(a)-

is pronounced JAY-kub. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "he who supplants". Also possibly from "la-aqov" (hence, Yaakov) meaning "to track or follow". Biblical: the son of Isaac and Rebekah and twin brother of Esau. Jacob fathered 12 sons and a daughter, who became the ancestors of the nation of Israel, the name Jacob himself received after wrestling with an angel. Jacobo is a Spanish form; Yakov (YAH-kav) is Russian. Senator Jacob Javits; actor Jake Gyllenhall.

Jacob has 52 variant forms: Cob, Cobb, Cobby, Giacamo, Giacobbe, Giacobo, Giacomo, Giacopo, Hamish, Iacopo, Iacovo, Iago, Iakob, Iakobos, Iakov, Jaap, Jack, Jaco, Jacobo, Jacobi, Jacobus, Jacoby, Jack, Jackie, Jacko, Jacky, Jacobo, Jacobus, Jacques, Jacquet, Jago, Jaime, Jake, Jakeb, Jakie, Jakob, Jakov, Jakub, James, Jamesie, Jamey, Jamie, Jamsey, Jay, Jayme, Jim, Jimmie, Seamus, Shamus, Yakov, Yakup and Yaqub.

For more information, see also related names Jock, Kobi and Zachary.

Baby names that sound like Jacob are Jacopo, Yakob and Yaacob.

Jacob is a very common first name for men (#122 out of 1220) and also a very common last name for both men and women (#1894 out of 88799). (1990 U.S. Census)

Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the boy name Jacob. Compare Jacob with its variant forms and related boy names.

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