James is a biblical name of Hebrew origin that means ‘supplanter’ or ‘substitute’. Derived from the name Jacob in the Old Testament, James is the English form and has come to signify qualities of leadership and strength.
The meaning of the name does not only have roots dating to the time of Jesus, but it took a Royal turn when King James VI sat on the throne in England back in the 17th Century.
The name is most commonly used for boys, but there are no rules to say it cannot be used for a girl. For instance, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively named their daughter James which has maybe opened the popularity for the name becoming more gender-neutral.
- Name Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Means supplanter or substitute
- Pronunciation: Jay-mz
- Gender: A name for males but popularity amongst females is increasing.
How Popular is the Name James?
According to Social Security Rankings, James is timeless name that has proved to outshine many other boys’ names for years taking the top spot for 12 years. Statistics show that James as a first name for a child has never dipped past the top 20 with predictions setting it to have an increased rating now that celebrities are shining a new female light on it.
Name Variations
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Giacomo | Supplanter | Italian |
| Iago | Lake | Welsh |
| Jacques | Supplanter | French |
| Jakob | He who supplants | German/ Polish |
| Jacob | Supplanter | Hebrew/ English |
| Jamie | May God protect | Spanish |
| Séamas | One who grabs at the heel | Irish |
Other Names Meaning Supplanter
| Male Names Meaning Supplanter | Female Names Meaning Supplanter |
| Diego | Jackie |
| Hamish | Jacqueline |
| Jake | Jamie |
| Jimmy | Diega |
| Thiago | Coby |
| Yakov | Jacky |
| Jim | Jacobina |
Alternative Names Starting with ‘J’
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
| Jackson | Son of jack; God is gracious | English |
| Jabari | Fearless | Arabic |
| Jaden | Combination of Jay and Aiden | American |
| Jae | Ability | Korean |
| Jadran | From adria | Slavic |
| Jaeson | Healer | Greek |
| Jade | Green gemstone | English |
Famous People Named James
- James Earl Jones, an American actor
- James Dean, American Hollywood icon
- James Brown, an American singer who founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- James May, American TV show host, known for the popular car fanatic program Top Gear