James - name meaning, origin

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

, also used as girl's name James, is pronounced jayms. It is of English origin. Variant of Jacob (Hebrew) "he who supplants". Biblical: one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, who possibly was also a cousin of Jesus. The King James Bible is named in reference to James I of England (16th-17th century). Spanish pronunciation of Jaime: (HYE-may), Scottish: (JAY-mee). See also Kimo and Santiago. Writer James Joyce; actors James Mason, James Caviezel, James Gandolfini, Jimmy Stewart; entertainer Jimmy Durante; American Presidents Hames Buchanan, James Garfield, James Madison, James Polk, Jimmy Carter, James Monroe.

James has 12 variant forms: Diego, Jacob, Jago, Jaime, Jamie, Jamison, Jayme, Jaymes, Jem, Jim, Jimmie and Jimmy.

For more information, see also related names Giacomo, Hamish, Iago, Jacques, Jascha, Seamus and Shamus.

Baby names that sound like James are Eames, Ames, Aymes, Aimes, Jamsey and Jamesie.

James is a very common first name for men (#1 out of 1220) and also a very common last name for both men and women (#71 out of 88799). (1990 U.S. Census)

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

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