James
Supplanter · Hebrew origin
What does James mean?
James is a male name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Supplanter”.
How popular is James?
In England & Wales, James ranked #40 among boys' names in 2024, with 1,252 babies given the name — down from #9 in 2014. Its strongest year in the England & Wales series is 1997, when it reached #2.
In the United States, James was the #6 boys' name in the 2020 data, after peaking at #1 in 1940.
| Year | E&W rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #4 | 9,385 |
| 1997 | #2 | 9,853 |
| 2000 | #3 | 7,489 |
| 2005 | #4 | 5,654 |
| 2010 | #10 | 4,351 |
| 2015 | #11 | 3,912 |
| 2020 | #24 | 1,977 |
| 2024 | #40 | 1,252 |
Who are famous people named James?
- James Joyce · Irish novelist and poet (1882–1941)
- Jimmy Carter · president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 (1924–2024)
- James Cook · British explorer, cartographer and naval officer (1728–1779)
What names go well with James?
More on James
Top ten in America, top forty here, and secretly meaning something rather cheeky.
James: the name that never needed a comeback — James as our Name of the Day.
Rosa: a rose with real backbone — James gets a mention.
Thomas: the twin, the classic, the kitchen table of names — James gets a mention.
Emily: the gentle classic with a fierce streak — James gets a mention.
Swipe & match on James in Settle