James
Say it: JAYMZ/d͡ʒeɪmz/
BoyMeans the same name as Jacob, tied to the Hebrew word for "heel"5 letters1 syllable
#4
in Ireland (2025)
359
babies in 2025
#1
best rank (1994)
51,701
babies since 1964
Down 2
10-year rank change
James through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 359 | #4 |
| 2024 | 336 | #5 |
| 2023 | 369 | #4 |
| 2022 | 412 | #4 |
| 2021 | 442 | #3 |
| 2020 | 495 | #2 |
| 2019 | 534 | #2 |
| 2018 | 589 | #2 |
| 2017 | 619 | #2 |
| 2016 | 688 | #1 |
| 2015 | 697 | #2 |
| 2014 | 695 | #2 |
| 2013 | 746 | #2 |
| 2012 | 773 | #2 |
| 2011 | 796 | #2 |
| 2010 | 746 | #4 |
| 2009 | 711 | #5 |
| 2008 | 737 | #5 |
| 2007 | 713 | #5 |
| 2006 | 678 | #5 |
| 2005 | 699 | #5 |
| 2004 | 688 | #4 |
| 2003 | 626 | #5 |
| 2002 | 581 | #5 |
| 2001 | 613 | #5 |
| 2000 | 594 | #5 |
| 1999 | 629 | #4 |
| 1998 | 472 | #4 |
| 1997 | 757 | #3 |
| 1996 | 667 | #7 |
| 1995 | 766 | #2 |
| 1994 | 859 | #1 |
| 1993 | 747 | #3 |
| 1992 | 781 | #3 |
| 1991 | 866 | #3 |
| 1990 | 785 | #5 |
| 1989 | 854 | #4 |
| 1988 | 824 | #6 |
| 1987 | 940 | #4 |
| 1986 | 982 | #4 |
| 1985 | 944 | #5 |
| 1984 | 955 | #6 |
| 1983 | 993 | #6 |
| 1982 | 1,034 | #6 |
| 1981 | 1,098 | #6 |
| 1980 | 1,087 | #6 |
| 1979 | 1,023 | #6 |
| 1978 | 949 | #6 |
| 1977 | 927 | #6 |
| 1976 | 1,010 | #6 |
| 1975 | 1,033 | #6 |
| 1974 | 1,059 | #6 |
| 1973 | 1,002 | #6 |
| 1972 | 1,128 | #5 |
| 1971 | 1,190 | #5 |
| 1970 | 1,130 | #5 |
| 1969 | 1,186 | #4 |
| 1968 | 1,275 | #4 |
| 1967 | 1,349 | #4 |
| 1966 | 1,446 | #4 |
| 1965 | 1,464 | #4 |
| 1964 | 1,554 | #5 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does James mean?
The same name as Jacob, tied to the Hebrew word for "heel"
English, from Iacomus, an everyday Latin form of Iacobus (Jacob).
Say it right
JAYMZ
The story of James
James is the English form of Jacob. In everyday Latin speech Iacobus was worn down to Iacomus, which passed through French into English as James. The Hebrew original, Yaakov, is tied to the word for heel, recalling the Bible story of Jacob being born holding his twin brother’s heel. In Irish the name is Séamas, often spelt Séamus.
Two of the twelve apostles were called James. James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain, and tradition places his remains at Santiago de Compostela.
James has been in the Irish top ten in every year of the CSO records. It was number 1 in 1994 and again in 2016. The numbers have fallen from more than 1,400 a year in the mid-1960s to 359 in 2025, but its rank has barely moved. In Northern Ireland it was the top boys’ name in 2015 and was third in 2025.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: James (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Séamus (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: James (given name)
- Wikipedia: James the Great
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
JimJimmyJamie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| James | 359 | 51,701 |
In Northern Ireland
#3 in 2025 with 135 babies. Best rank #1 (2015); 7,261 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.