James
James was given to 11,945 boys in 2025, #6 among boys’ names; 5,274,520 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 2.88 million Americans named James and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (55% of everyone recorded); the median is 58 years old and half are between 40 and 71.
James is the #2 most common first name among living American men and boys, by this estimate.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of James by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does James mean?
Wiktionary, English section
James is “a male given name from Hebrew popular since the Middle Ages. Also a common middle name.” Its etymology gives the senses “May He Heel” (literally) and “to heel” (verb) and “heel of the foot” (עָקֵב).
The English New Testament form of Jacob, from Middle English James, from Old French James, from Vulgar Latin Iācōmus, spoken and altered pronunciation of Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), from Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb), from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (yaʿăqōḇ, literally “May He Heel”), from the third-person singular masculine imperfective form of the Semitic verb “to heel” (with various meanings), in turn from עָקֵב (ʿāqēḇ, “heel of the foot”). Doublet of Jacques, Jacob, Iago, Jago, Yago, Hamish, Seamus, Tiago, Santiago, and Yaakov.
/d͡ʒeɪmz/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is James?
#6 among boys’ names, 2025
James rose from #7 in 2015 to #6 in 2025 among boys’ names, although its share of boys born fell from 7.8 to 7.0 per 1,000.
95,024 babies in 1947, the peak
James peaked in 1947, when 95,024 babies were given it (94,767 boys, #1 among boys’ names). The 12,004 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 13% of that peak.
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 boys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11,945 | #6 | 7.0 |
| 2024 | 11,856 | #5 | 6.9 |
| 2023 | 11,739 | #4 | 6.9 |
| 2022 | 12,119 | #4 | 6.9 |
| 2021 | 12,474 | #5 | 7.1 |
| 2020 | 12,390 | #6 | 7.2 |
| 2019 | 13,198 | #6 | 7.4 |
| 2018 | 13,650 | #4 | 7.5 |
| 2017 | 14,362 | #4 | 7.8 |
| 2016 | 14,920 | #5 | 7.9 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 boys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 14,865 | #7 | 7.8 |
| 2014 | 14,464 | #9 | 7.5 |
| 2013 | 13,596 | #13 | 7.2 |
| 2012 | 13,458 | #14 | 7.1 |
| 2011 | 13,275 | #17 | 7.0 |
| 2010 | 13,901 | #19 | 7.2 |
| 2009 | 14,223 | #18 | 7.2 |
| 2008 | 15,190 | #17 | 7.4 |
| 2007 | 15,973 | #15 | 7.7 |
| 2006 | 16,255 | #16 | 7.9 |
| 2005 | 16,140 | #17 | 8.1 |
| 2004 | 16,469 | #18 | 8.3 |
| 2003 | 16,896 | #18 | 8.6 |
| 2002 | 16,968 | #18 | 8.7 |
| 2001 | 17,074 | #19 | 8.8 |
| 2000 | 17,991 | #18 | 9.2 |
| 1999 | 18,555 | #19 | 9.7 |
| 1998 | 19,690 | #18 | 10.3 |
| 1997 | 20,408 | #17 | 10.8 |
| 1996 | 21,165 | #17 | 11.2 |
| 1995 | 22,739 | #17 | 11.9 |
| 1994 | 24,778 | #14 | 12.8 |
| 1993 | 26,259 | #14 | 13.4 |
| 1992 | 28,513 | #9 | 14.3 |
| 1991 | 30,514 | #7 | 15.1 |
| 1990 | 32,359 | #8 | 15.8 |
| 1989 | 32,720 | #9 | 16.4 |
| 1988 | 32,523 | #9 | 17.0 |
| 1987 | 32,659 | #8 | 17.5 |
| 1986 | 34,057 | #7 | 18.5 |
| 1985 | 35,862 | #7 | 19.4 |
| 1984 | 35,859 | #7 | 19.9 |
| 1983 | 36,342 | #6 | 20.3 |
| 1982 | 38,874 | #6 | 21.4 |
| 1981 | 38,283 | #7 | 21.4 |
| 1980 | 39,312 | #5 | 22.0 |
| 1979 | 39,351 | #5 | 22.9 |
| 1978 | 39,894 | #5 | 24.3 |
| 1977 | 40,040 | #5 | 24.4 |
| 1976 | 38,294 | #5 | 24.4 |
| 1975 | 39,569 | #4 | 25.3 |
| 1974 | 41,334 | #5 | 26.3 |
| 1973 | 42,836 | #4 | 27.5 |
| 1972 | 47,063 | #3 | 29.0 |
| 1971 | 54,597 | #2 | 30.9 |
| 1970 | 61,735 | #2 | 33.2 |
| 1969 | 59,886 | #3 | 33.5 |
| 1968 | 60,665 | #4 | 34.9 |
| 1967 | 61,683 | #3 | 35.4 |
| 1966 | 65,163 | #3 | 36.5 |
| 1965 | 67,666 | #4 | 36.4 |
| 1964 | 73,026 | #4 | 36.6 |
| 1963 | 71,294 | #4 | 35.1 |
| 1962 | 72,555 | #4 | 35.1 |
| 1961 | 75,969 | #4 | 35.8 |
| 1960 | 76,815 | #3 | 36.0 |
| 1959 | 78,648 | #3 | 36.8 |
| 1958 | 78,774 | #3 | 37.1 |
| 1957 | 84,337 | #2 | 39.1 |
| 1956 | 84,897 | #2 | 40.1 |
| 1955 | 84,186 | #3 | 40.9 |
| 1954 | 86,311 | #3 | 42.3 |
| 1953 | 86,066 | #2 | 43.6 |
| 1952 | 87,065 | #1 | 44.8 |
| 1951 | 87,256 | #1 | 46.3 |
| 1950 | 86,228 | #1 | 48.2 |
| 1949 | 86,858 | #1 | 49.0 |
| 1948 | 88,605 | #1 | 50.5 |
| 1947 | 94,767 | #1 | 51.8 |
| 1946 | 87,438 | #1 | 53.8 |
| 1945 | 74,464 | #1 | 55.3 |
| 1944 | 76,951 | #1 | 56.5 |
| 1943 | 80,278 | #1 | 56.2 |
| 1942 | 77,182 | #1 | 55.9 |
| 1941 | 66,751 | #1 | 54.3 |
| 1940 | 62,481 | #1 | 53.9 |
| 1939 | 59,636 | #2 | 53.9 |
| 1938 | 59,102 | #2 | 53.3 |
| 1937 | 56,561 | #2 | 53.0 |
| 1936 | 54,694 | #2 | 52.7 |
| 1935 | 55,005 | #2 | 52.8 |
| 1934 | 54,270 | #2 | 52.6 |
| 1933 | 51,112 | #2 | 51.5 |
| 1932 | 51,930 | #2 | 49.7 |
| 1931 | 51,212 | #2 | 49.3 |
| 1930 | 53,957 | #2 | 49.2 |
| 1929 | 52,135 | #2 | 48.5 |
| 1928 | 52,752 | #3 | 47.6 |
| 1927 | 53,674 | #3 | 47.6 |
| 1926 | 53,196 | #3 | 47.9 |
| 1925 | 52,680 | #4 | 47.2 |
| 1924 | 52,942 | #4 | 46.7 |
| 1923 | 50,462 | #4 | 46.0 |
| 1922 | 49,802 | #4 | 45.8 |
| 1921 | 49,750 | #4 | 45.2 |
| 1920 | 47,908 | #4 | 45.0 |
| 1919 | 42,392 | #3 | 43.3 |
| 1918 | 42,115 | #3 | 41.6 |
| 1917 | 37,337 | #3 | 40.3 |
| 1916 | 35,569 | #3 | 40.0 |
| 1915 | 33,773 | #3 | 39.8 |
| 1914 | 26,262 | #3 | 40.1 |
| 1913 | 20,832 | #3 | 40.6 |
| 1912 | 17,644 | #3 | 41.0 |
| 1911 | 9,952 | #3 | 44.0 |
| 1910 | 9,194 | #2 | 47.3 |
| 1909 | 7,595 | #3 | 46.3 |
| 1908 | 7,012 | #3 | 45.4 |
| 1907 | 6,707 | #3 | 45.7 |
| 1906 | 5,908 | #3 | 44.4 |
| 1905 | 6,042 | #3 | 45.7 |
| 1904 | 5,855 | #3 | 45.7 |
| 1903 | 5,479 | #3 | 46.0 |
| 1902 | 5,592 | #3 | 45.6 |
| 1901 | 4,735 | #3 | 44.5 |
| 1900 | 7,245 | #3 | 48.1 |
| 1899 | 4,597 | #3 | 43.3 |
| 1898 | 5,321 | #3 | 43.4 |
| 1897 | 5,113 | #3 | 45.3 |
| 1896 | 5,206 | #3 | 43.5 |
| 1895 | 5,335 | #3 | 45.4 |
| 1894 | 5,110 | #3 | 44.1 |
| 1893 | 5,030 | #3 | 44.8 |
| 1892 | 5,398 | #3 | 44.2 |
| 1891 | 4,516 | #3 | 44.6 |
| 1890 | 5,097 | #3 | 45.9 |
| 1889 | 5,020 | #3 | 45.4 |
| 1888 | 5,562 | #3 | 46.0 |
| 1887 | 4,767 | #3 | 47.0 |
| 1886 | 5,355 | #3 | 48.3 |
| 1885 | 5,175 | #3 | 48.0 |
| 1884 | 5,693 | #3 | 49.7 |
| 1883 | 5,223 | #3 | 49.9 |
| 1882 | 5,892 | #3 | 51.8 |
| 1881 | 5,441 | #3 | 54.0 |
| 1880 | 5,927 | #3 | 53.6 |
Ranks and shares: boys’ names in each year’s SSA file; share of all boys SSA recorded that year.
Is James a boy’s or a girl’s name?
James has been given almost only to boys: 23,882 girls in 146 years of records.
Girls and boys named James: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named James, and how old are they?
2.88 million alive in 2026, estimated
That is 55% of the 5,274,520 Americans ever recorded as James. The median James alive today is 58 years old; half are between 40 and 71.
The 2020 Census counted 2,996,421 people named James (3,921 women and girls, 2,992,500 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 3,174,628 born in the U.S. The Census count is 6% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 235,000 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 1.03 million |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 704,000 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 480,000 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 259,000 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 171,000 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named James born?
The states with the most babies named James are New York, Pennsylvania and California, with 19% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 349,759 | #8 | 0.8× |
| Pennsylvania | 306,891 | #6 | 0.9× |
| California | 289,423 | #22 | 0.7× |
| Texas | 286,404 | #12 | 0.9× |
| Ohio | 264,109 | #8 | 1.0× |
| Illinois | 255,577 | #7 | 0.9× |
| North Carolina | 213,517 | #5 | 1.4× |
| Michigan | 190,489 | #5 | 0.9× |
| Georgia | 188,283 | #5 | 1.3× |
| Tennessee | 176,086 | #4 | 1.5× |
Where James is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, James is most over-represented in South Carolina: since 1910 it was given 1.5 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of James with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 8 names spelled alike, given to 5,278,106 babies since 1880, James is the most given (100% of them). In 2025 it was given to 12,004 of their 12,024 babies (100%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as James
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about James and names like it
- Compare James and JaymesBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1940sJames peaked in 1947.
- New York’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named James since 1910.
- Hebrew namesWiktionary’s origin for James: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1947The year the most babies were named James.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named James alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with JMost given first.