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🔥 Very PopularBoy nameHebrew

James

“Supplanter, one who follows”

2 syllables · 5 letters

About the name James

James has never left the American top twenty in the entire history of the records, which no other boys' name can claim. It is the rare choice that reads as presidential, literary and utterly ordinary depending on who is saying it.

James is a boy name of Hebrew origin, pronounced JAYMZ. On the NameRarity scale it scores 1 out of 100, which places it in the very popular band — a chart-topping name. Common on class registers and in headlines alike. Its strongest period was the 1940s.

Associated with
assuredclassiclevel-headedcharming

Name facts at a glance

Meaning
Supplanter, one who follows
Origin
Hebrew
Gender
Boy
Pronunciation
JAYMZ
Syllables
2
Letters
5
US rank
#5
Peak era
1940s
Rarity
1 / 100
Per million
~9,120
Starts with
J
Numerology
3 · The Storyteller

How popular is James?

Popularity99/100
Rarity1/100

James sits at approximately #5 in recent US rankings. Roughly 9,120 people per million carry it — about 1 in 110. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect around 9.

Famous people named James

  • James Baldwin
    American novelist and essayist
  • James Joyce
    Irish novelist and poet
  • James Earl Jones
    American actor known for his voice work

Spellings and variants of James

JacquesIagoSeamus

Names similar to James

Uncommon

Jonah

JOH-nuh

Dove

Hebrew36% rare
Very Popular

Ethan

EE-thun

Firm, enduring

Hebrew11% rare
Very Popular

Levi

LEE-vy

Joined, attached in harmony

Hebrew14% rare
Rare

Amos

AY-mus

Carried by God

Hebrew74% rare
Ultra Rare

Jethro

JETH-roh

Abundance, excellence

Hebrew95% rare
Popular

Josiah

joh-SY-uh

The Lord supports and heals

Hebrew29% rare
Rare

Moses

MOH-ziz

Drawn out of the water

Hebrew62% rare
Rare

Tobias

toh-BY-us

God is good

Hebrew60% rare
Browse all 1,284 names →

James — frequently asked questions

What does the name James mean?

James means "Supplanter, one who follows". It is a name of Hebrew origin, most often given to a boy.

How do you pronounce James?

James is pronounced JAYMZ, with 2 syllables.

How rare is the name James?

James scores 1 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it very popular. Roughly 1 in every 110 people carry it — about 9,120 per million.

What is the numerology number for James?

James carries the expression number 3, known as The Storyteller. Its soul urge number is 6 and its personality number is 6.

What is the lucky number and lucky colour for James?

The lucky number for James is 3 (with 12, 21, 30 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Lilac Amethyst. The traditional lucky day is Thursday and the associated gemstone is Amethyst.

Is James a popular name?

James currently sits around rank #5 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1940s.