Boy Hebrew 1 syllable

James

JAYMZ /dʒeɪmz/

"The supplanter" — a name of kings, spies, and extraordinary endurance across all time

James is the English form of the Latin Iacomus, itself a form of the Greek Iakobos, from the Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob) — meaning 'supplanter' or 'may God protect'. Six kings of Scotland, one of Britain's most beloved Bible translations (the King James Bible), and more US presidents than any other name (six!) have made James a name of towering historical significance. Ian Fleming named his spy James Bond. Every generation finds new reason to love its clean simplicity and vast cultural weight.

Quick Facts

Letters5

SyllablesJames

GenderBoy

OriginHebrew

Root WordYa'aqov / Iacomus

MeaningSupplanter; may God protect

PopularityVery Popular

Peak Year1940

Trend → Stable

Name DayJuly 25

Nicknames JimJimmyJamieJay

About the Name James

James means 'supplanter' from the Hebrew Ya'aqov (Jacob), meaning one who follows closely at the heel, or more positively, 'may God protect'.

Six US presidents were named James: Madison, Monroe, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield, and Carter — the most of any first name.

Traditionally yes, though James has been used for girls occasionally in recent years as a nontraditional choice.

James Alexander, James William, James Thomas, and James Edward are all timelessly classic combinations.

James has never left the US top-10 boy names and has been in the top-5 for most of American history.

Personality of James

Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named James

creativity 80%

elegance 85%

independence 85%

intelligence 88%

strength 90%

warmth 82%

Famous People Named James

James Bond

Ian Fleming's fictional British spy, the most recognizable secret agent in history

LeBron James

American basketball player widely considered among the greatest of all time

James Madison

4th US President and primary author of the Constitution

James Dean

Hollywood actor who became a symbol of rebellious youth

Middle Names for James

Beautiful combinations that flow well with James

James Alexander James William James Thomas James Edward James Henry James Robert James Michael James Patrick James Andrew James Joseph

Names Similar to James

Similar Sound

Jameson Davis

Similar Meaning

Jack Diego Hamish

Sibling Name Ideas

William Henry Edward Eleanor

History of James

1st century CE

James the Apostle becomes one of Christ's inner circle; name gains sacred significance

1406

James I becomes King of Scotland; the Stuart dynasty makes James a royal name

1611

The King James Bible published — the most influential English text in history

1953

Ian Fleming publishes Casino Royale; James Bond becomes a cultural icon

Today

James is one of six US presidential names and has never left the US top-10 boy names

Numerology & Symbolism of James

Destiny Number

Sum of all letters

Soul Urge

Sum of vowels

♍

Zodiac Affinity

Capricorn

Lucky Number

Personal power digit

🎨

Lucky Color

Navy Blue

💎

Lucky Stone

Sapphire

🌸

Lucky Flower

Blue Iris

James Around the World

How James is written in different languages and scripts

جيمس

Arabic

ジェームズ

Japanese

Джеймс

Russian

제임스

Korean

詹姆斯

Chinese

Τζέιμς

Greek

जेम्स

Hindi

ג'יימס

Hebrew

Looking for Name Ideas?

Explore our name inspiration guides