Jimmy
Say it: JIM-ee/ˈd͡ʒɪmi/
BoyMeans a pet form of James5 letters2 syllables
#286
in Ireland (2025)
#276 with spellings combined
15
babies in 2025
#216
best rank (1991)
363
babies since 1966
Up 79
10-year rank change
Jimmy through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #276 |
| 2024 | 16 | #263 |
| 2023 | 14 | #294 |
| 2022 | 14 | #297 |
| 2021 | 12 | #328 |
| 2020 | 9 | #391 |
| 2019 | 18 | #254 |
| 2018 | 13 | #313 |
| 2017 | 15 | #296 |
| 2016 | 14 | #313 |
| 2015 | 11 | #355 |
| 2014 | 15 | #302 |
| 2013 | 16 | #282 |
| 2012 | 11 | #354 |
| 2011 | 16 | #289 |
| 2010 | 11 | #354 |
| 2009 | 19 | #257 |
| 2008 | 12 | #328 |
| 2007 | 6 | #435 |
| 2006 | 12 | #271 |
| 2005 | 14 | #231 |
| 2004 | 8 | #299 |
| 2003 | 6 | #337 |
| 2002 | 7 | #292 |
| 2001 | 7 | #273 |
| 2000 | 5 | #312 |
| 1999 | 4 | #330 |
| 1995 | 3 | #334 |
| 1994 | 4 | #299 |
| 1993 | 5 | #275 |
| 1992 | 3 | #337 |
| 1991 | 8 | #216 |
| 1987 | 6 | #235 |
| 1984 | 5 | #250 |
| 1979 | 3 | #324 |
| 1975 | 3 | #321 |
| 1966 | 3 | #256 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Jimmy mean?
A pet form of James
English, from Jim, a short form of James, with the familiar ending -y.
Say it right
JIMee
The story of Jimmy
Jimmy is a pet form of James, made from the short form Jim with the familiar -y ending. James is the English form of the same Hebrew name as Jacob, and its Irish form is Séamus.
For generations of Irish men called James, Jimmy was the everyday name used by family and friends. In Scotland it is also a casual, sometimes cheeky way of addressing a man whose name you don’t know. Today some parents skip James and put Jimmy on the birth certificate.
As a full name, Jimmy first reached the CSO list in 1966, with 3 boys. Its best rank was number 216 in 1991, and its biggest year was 2009, with 19 boys. It has been given to between 9 and 18 boys each year since 2010. In Northern Ireland its highest place was 229th, in 2017.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Jimmy (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Jimmy (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy | 15 | 363 |
In Northern Ireland
#270 in 2025 with 6 babies. Best rank #229 (2017); 52 babies since 2006.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.