What Does the Name James Mean?
James is a boy's name of Hebrew (via Latin/Greek) origin meaning “supplanter.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | James |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Origin | Hebrew (via Latin/Greek) |
| Meaning | supplanter |
| Variants | Jacob, Jaime, Jacques, Jamie, Iago |
| Popularity | A consistent US top-20 name for over a century; #1 in the 1940s-50s |
The meaning and origin of James
The name James means “supplanter” and has Hebrew (via Latin/Greek) origins. James is the English form of the Late Latin Iacomus, a variant of Iacobus (Jacob), from the Hebrew Ya'aqov. Borne by two apostles and many kings, it has been a perennial English classic for centuries.
Variants and related names
James is related to several other names you may recognize: Jacob, Jaime, Jacques, Jamie, Iago. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name James?
A consistent US top-20 name for over a century; #1 in the 1940s-50s
Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name James below.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name James mean?+
The name James means “supplanter” and is of Hebrew (via Latin/Greek) origin.
What is the origin of the name James?+
James originates from Hebrew (via Latin/Greek).
Is James a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how James has trended in the US over time.
James by gender
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Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press