James Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

James is a popular boy name in 8 countries. Explore pronunciation, meanings, origins, and where this name appears most often.

Name Overview

James is mostly used as a boy name in this dataset. Its best observed rank is #2, with an average rank of 4.5 across 8 ranked entries.

James is associated with origins such as Hebrew and meanings such as supplanter.

James appears across 8 countries, especially in Africa, Europe, and Asia, including Ireland, Liberia, and South Sudan.

Common forms and related variants include Jacob, Jamie, Jim, Jimmy, and Seamus.

Pronunciation references include JAM-es, JAYMZ, and IPA dʒeɪmz.

Countries

Best rank

Used as

boy

Main origins

Hebrew

Origins: Hebrew

Common meanings: An English form of 'Jacob,' meaning 'supplanter.' It is a timeless classic, held by kings and commoners alike for centuries.

Pronunciation samples: JAM-es, JAYMZ | IPA: dʒeɪmz

Variants and aliases: Jacob, Jamie, Jim, Jimmy, Seamus

James appears most often in Africa, Europe, Asia, North America.

What does James mean?
James is commonly associated with meanings such as supplanter and appears in 8 countries.
Is James a boy or girl name?
In this dataset, James appears mainly as boy.
Where is James most popular?
James appears in top lists across 8 countries, including Ireland, Liberia, South Sudan. Best observed rank is #2.