The name James shares its meaning with the name Jacob. In fact, it’s a distinct translation that has gained popularity over time.
As it has a solid connection to the name Jacob, we can classify James as a Biblical name, and we have identified that two apostles from the time of Jesus were actually called James.
The meaning of James is ‘supplanter’ or ‘substitute’ which is created from the original Hebrew name Jacob.
The meaning of the name James 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.
James is a name most commonly used for boys, but there are no rules to say it cannot be used for a girl. Take Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, they named their daughter James which has maybe opened the popularity for the name becoming unisex.
- James Name Origin: Scottish
- Meaning of James: Means supplanter or substitute
- Pronunciation: Jay-mz
- Gender: A name for males but popularity amongst females is increasing.
How Popular is the Name James?
James is a name that is timeless, a name that never becomes old fashioned; the proof is stated in the Social Security Rankings. It 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.
Variations of the Name James
With James being so popular you may prefer to use a variation with a similar meaning. Take a look at a few suggestions below.
| 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 Amazing Names Meaning Supplanter
You may feel like the meaning of your child’s name is more important than the name itself. It can determine how others see you. Supplanter means ‘to take over’ so check out the alternatives below.
| 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’
A tradition of using the same symbol and sand initial sound has grown in popularity amongst many families. If you have a James already then look at the alternatives below.
| 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 has been around for centuries with many of them being big names we see displayed all over the world. Take a look at a few famous people who share the same name.
- 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 McAvoy, Scottish actor.
- James May, American TV show host, known for the popular car fanatic program Top Gear.