Do you know the meaning of the name James? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the name James, including its meaning, nicknames, popularity, origin, and more!
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Kevin
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July 18, 2021
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What does the name James mean?
According to Baby Center and Behind The Name, the name James is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob and means supplanter, or one who follows. This is the English form of the Late Latin name acomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus and Late Latin Iacomus. The original Hebrew is the name Ya’aqov or Hebrew Yaakov. This is a Biblical name, and two apostles in the New Testament are named James. There is James the Greater, the apostle John’s brother from the Book of Acts, and James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. There is a third James mentioned in the Bible, James the Just, who is a brother of Jesus.
This name became popular in England in the 13th century, and was used by several kings in Scotland including the 17th century the Scottish king James VI , the first ruler of all Britain. In America, this name has made the top 20 since 1880, and was the #1 name in the United States from 1940 to 1952. Nicknames for the name James include Jimmie, Jim, Jimi, Jaye, Jimmy, Jaime, Jae, Jamie, Jay, Jem, Jemmy, and more. In other languages and cultures, you may see one of the following alternate spellings, and it can also be spelled Jaymes:
- Jaagup, Jaak, Jaakob(Estonian)
- Yakov, Yasha(Russian)
- Jakov, Jakša(Serbian)
- Jacques, Jacky(French)
- Jakov(Macedonian)
- Jakob, Jockel(German)
- Jacob, Jacobus, Jakob, Sjaak, Cobus, Coos, Jaap, Kobus, Koos, Sjakie(Dutch)
- Jakes(Basque)
- Iago, Jaime(Portuguese)
- Jacob, Jakob(Norwegian)
- Jakob, Jaka, Jaša(Slovene)
- Jaakko, Jaakob, Jaakoppi, Jaska, Jimi(Finnish)
- Yakup(Turkish)
- Yacoub, Yakub, Yaqoob, Yaqub(Arabic)
- Jakob(Icelandic)
- Hagop, Hakob(Armenian)
- Giacomo, Iacopo, Jacopo, Lapo(Italian)
- Yakov(Bulgarian)
- Iakopa, Kimo(Hawaiian)
- Japik(Frisian)
- Jacob, Jakob, Ib, Jeppe(Danish)
- Jaume, Jaumet(Catalan)
- Jacob, Jakob(Swedish)
- Jago(Cornish)
- Iacob, Iacobus(Biblical Latin)
- Yaakov(Biblical Hebrew)
- Jákup(Faroese)
- Yakau(Belarusian)
- Iakob, Iakobos(Biblical Greek)
- Yakiv(Ukrainian)
- Jacobo, Jaime, Yago(Spanish)
- Iacomus, Jacobus(Late Roman)
- Jakab(Hungarian)
- Iakob, Koba(Georgian)
- Yaƙubu(Hausa)
- Iago(Welsh)
- Jakub, Kuba(Polish)
- Seumas, Jamie(Scottish)
- Hemi(Maori)
- Jēkabs(Latvian)
- Séamus, Shamus, Seamus, Sheamus, Séamas(Irish)
- Jokūbas(Lithuanian)
- Yaakov, Yakov, Akiba, Akiva(Hebrew)
- Jakov, Jakša(Croatian)
- Jaak, Kobe(Flemish)
- Jakub(Slovak)
- Jakub(Czech)
- Yacouba(Western African)
- Iacob(Romanian)
- Iakovos(Greek)
- Iago, Xacobe, Xaime(Galician)
- Jacob(Jewish)
Who are celebrities named James?
While there are many historical celebrities named James, from Captain James Cook to Scottish inventor James Watt, and Irish novelist and poet James Joyce, the name James has belonged to six different American presidents such as James Monroe and James Buchanan. You may know this name from the famous fictional character James Bond, or from actor James Franco or James Dean. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively names their daughter James.
What are other names that start with the letter J?
If the name James isn’t for you but you still want to name your child something starting with the letter J, don’t fret. There are many different names you can choose from on this list from The Bump:
- Josiah
- Jefery
- Jarrot
- Jaymes
- Jairus
- Joab
- Jedidiah
- Jeric
- Jaylon
- Jaray
- Juanito
- Johnson
- Jaeden
- Jerell
- Jago
- Josephus
- Jakeb
- Jerel
- Jaquille
- Javi
- Jupiter
- Joyner
- Jamil
- Jagur
- Justen
- Justiniano
- Jameel
- Jermyn
- Joben
- Jing
- Jakie
- Judsen
- Jevon
- Jefferson
- Judson
- Jeptha
- Jurgen
- Jeffries
- Josua
- Julio
- Jotham
- Jayson
- Jerrard
- Jonathon
- Jeffrie
- Joaquim
- Jeaven
- Jansen
- Jervis
- Junius
- Jarreth
- Jafar
- Jenson
- Jerardo
- Justus
- Jamiel
- Jaleel
- Jennings
- Jeovanni
- Jeroen
- Jeremy
- Jeryl
- Jarren
- Johan
- Jayar
- Jeshua
- Joffre
- Jairo
- Jorrel
- Janek
- Jud
- Jalal
- Javaughn
- Jannik
- Jered
- Jeremiah
- Joshuah
- Jabbar
- Jary
- Jerric
- Jessup
- Jarran
- Jorgen
- Jovani
- Jordon
- Josef
- Jereme
- Jeffry
- Jaques
- Jonas
- Jaycen
- Jed
- Jonathen
- Jeran
- Josue
- Jasen
- Jaris
- Jaan
- Jarl
- Jedd
- Janos
- Jayvee
- Jestin
- Jerek
- Jacoby
- Jedrick
- Jamieson
- Javon
- Joron
- Junior
- Jacopo
- Jedaiah
- Jaron
- Jonson
- Jame
- Jerome
- Jaedon
- Ju
- Jensen
- Jordy
- Jakob
- Jeramee
- Joaquin
- Jamarcus
- Jovonni
- Jerrall
- Jerrel
- Juvenal
- Jasun
- Jacek
- Johnte
- Jimal
- Jarryd
- Jahan
- Jonathan
- Jarah
- Jareth
- Jennesis
- JeanMichel
- Julius
- Jayron
- Jehovah
- Joren
- Joran
- Jeovani
- Jerrald
- Jorge
- Juanluis
- Justino
- Jamin
- Jeramie
- Jerrold
- Jarrin
- Jace
- Jiannis
- Jalon
- Jase
- Johnathan
- Jacob
- Jarrel
- Jeramey
- Jaimison
- Josif
- Jubal
- Jerryd
- Jarrad
- Jabari
- Jordi
- Jordaan
- Joselito
- Josslin
- Jaco
- Jaffar
- Jerryl
- Josias
- Jemario
- Johanan
- Jovin
- Jeraldo
- Jahmal
- Jeff
- Jarrott
- Jarett
- Jerrid
- Jarman
- Jaeger
- Jian
- Jarvis
- Jerrett
- Jowell
- Jacobo
- Jethroe
- Jameson
- Jamahl
- Julien
- Javonte
- Jamel
- Jamond
- Jarrod
- Jagjit
- Juwan
- Johntay
- Jacksen
- Josia
- Jareb
- Jaroslaw
- Jovann
- Jarron
- Judah
- Jarrett
- Jerrin
- Jerzy
- Jobe
- Jacson
- Jagger
- Johari
- Jair
- Joemar
- Jos
- Jeno
- Japheth
- Johnathon
- Jaxen
- Johnn
- Jacen
- Jarred
- Juanpablo
- Janak
- Janusz
- Jaren
- Johar
- Jericho
- Joachim
- Jasper
- Joris
- Jule
- Judge
- Jerre
- Jerrik
- Jeron
- Jerad
- Jesiah
- Jimson
- Jaason
- Jimar
- Jaroslav
- Jock
- Jamelle
- Jakub
- Jove
- Jordell
- Justain
- Jeriah
- Jawwad
- Jontae
- Jerrell
- Jabez
- Justis
- Jefry
- Jaxson
- Jeb
- Joed
- Jimbo
- Jeronimo
- Jovanny
- Jolyon
- Jerrah
- Justin
- Jonny
- Jaspar
- Jamall
- Jadon
- Jemar
- Jules
- Jaronn
- Jeromy
- Jocko
- Jesus
- Jeremiya
- Jalil
- Jevan
- Jannai
- Jacksyn
- Jonah
- Jacinto
- Jake
- Jeren
- Jerett
- Jiles
- Jereth
- Jivan
- Jarod
- Justo
- Jaydon
- Jalan
- Jarrell
- Jamile
- Jamal
- Jabin
- Jorn
- Jaisen
- Jefford
- Jacobi
- Joushua
- Jerold
- Jascha
- Joao
- Jozef
- Jaxon
- Jerrome
- Jailon
- Jomal
- Jovon
- Joe
- Jalenn
- Javan
- Jacan
- Janssen
- Jacin
- Jackson
- Jaice
- Jimenez
- Joesiah
- Jovan
- Javed
- Jimi
- Jader
- Jevin
- Jerron
- Jarryl
- Jim
- Jak
- Jie
- Jack
- John
- Job
- Jarrid
- Jarard
- Jens
- Jorma
- Jorel
- Johann
- Jorgan
- Jerod
- Jerard
- Jumaane
- Jerelle
- Juliano
- Jedediah
- Jantzen
- Jamar
- Joesph
- Jerah
- Johnston
- Jonathyn
- Jamon
- Junichi
- Justyn
- Jeremias
- Jahi
- Jerimiah
- Jenaro
- Jorman
- Jammal
- Jax
- Jamarr
- Jehu
- Jerren
- Jacian
- Jeffery
- Jimmey
- Jones
- Jericko
- Jaran
- Jomar
- Jarad
- Jamell
- Jonn
- Jaromir
- Johnny
- Johannes
- Janson
- Jarek
- Jaylen
- Jovanni
- Jerman
- Jun
- Juan
- Jesstin
- Jerrill
- Jaryl
- Jackman
- Josep
- Joffrey
- Juma
- Jakov
- Jaylonn
- Jourdain
- Jakson
- Jeffree
- Jaquan
- Jacques
- Jovi
- Jyles
- Jakim
- Jedrek
- Jared
- Jose
- Jeramy
- Jayven
- Jef
- Jethro
- Jabes
- Joseph
- Jemarr
- Jonatan
- Jeffy
- Juancarlos
- Jerroll
- Josip
- Joziah
- Joel
- Jiro
- Jerald
- Jeven
- Juri
- Jehan
- Jorim
- Ji
- Jamaul
- Jasha
- Jillean
- Jermaine
- Judd
- Jowan
- Jarius
- Jerrick
- Jonte
- Jeffey
- Jovany
- Jarvell
- Jakeem
- Jahiro
- Joram
- Jamill
- Jeffrey
- Jarell
- Jerico
- Jaison
- Jimmy
- Jerick
- Jarrard
- Jaysen
- Justinian
- Janko
- Jayvon
- Jeston
- Joash
- Jarel
- Jefferey
- Jasyn
- Jabir
- Jarid
- Jorrell
- Jorje
- Jabar
- Jimmie
- Jazon
- Japhet
- Jediah
- Jospeh
- Jiri
- Jenkins
- Josh
- Jai
- Julyan
- Jeovany
- Jarret
- Jerriel
- Jason
- Jamaal
- Johnie
- Jerrico
- Jawdat
- Jarrah
- Jon
- Jaelan
- Jaquin
- Jesper
- Jaja
- Javier
- Jerrod
- Jaliyl
- Joshua
- Judas
- Juda
- Johon
- Jayant
- Jaryn
- Jachin
Overall, the name James means supplanter. This is of Biblical and Latinic origins, from the Hebrew name Jacob.
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