Meaning of the nameJames
James is the English form of Jacob, a Hebrew name traditionally explained as 'one who holds the heel' or 'supplanter'.
Meaning
“English form of Jacob, 'one who holds the heel' or 'supplanter'”
Source: Wiktionary: James · Behind the Name: Jacob
- People (2022)
- 20,241
- Rank in Brazil
- #1,059
- Median age
- 34 years
- 2010 Census
- 19,935
- people
James in the 2022 Census
People with the first name James, by the decade they were born. In the chart, 70 = the 1970s and 20+ = 2020 to 2022. The largest group was born in the 1980s (4,938 people).
211 women 20,030 men
Source: IBGE, 2022 Demographic Census, Nomes no Brasil. The census counts the first name of people alive in 2022; small counts are not published, and the first group covers everyone born before 1940. How to read these data.
Where the name James is most common
States with the highest share of people named James in the population, in the 2022 Census.
All states
| State | People | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| São Paulo | 4,465 | 0.010% |
| Maranhão | 2,029 | 0.030% |
| Bahia | 1,148 | 0.008% |
| Paraná | 1,135 | 0.010% |
| Minas Gerais | 1,026 | 0.005% |
| Santa Catarina | 1,017 | 0.013% |
| Piauí | 946 | 0.029% |
| Amazonas | 835 | 0.021% |
| Pará | 807 | 0.010% |
| Ceará | 803 | 0.009% |
| Rio Grande do Sul | 748 | 0.007% |
| Rio de Janeiro | 688 | 0.004% |
| Goiás | 666 | 0.009% |
| Alagoas | 589 | 0.019% |
| Pernambuco | 454 | 0.005% |
| Acre | 439 | 0.053% |
| Distrito Federal | 403 | 0.014% |
| Tocantins | 320 | 0.021% |
| Mato Grosso | 315 | 0.009% |
| Espírito Santo | 221 | 0.006% |
| Mato Grosso do Sul | 213 | 0.008% |
| Rio Grande do Norte | 204 | 0.006% |
| Paraíba | 200 | 0.005% |
| Sergipe | 180 | 0.008% |
| Rondônia | 169 | 0.011% |
| Roraima | 163 | 0.026% |
| Amapá | 58 | 0.008% |
States with fewer than 15 people with the name are not shown: IBGE does not publish those counts.
About the name James
Wiktionary records James as the New Testament English form of Jacob, coming from Old French James, from Latin Iācōbus (in spoken Latin, Iācōmus) and from Greek Iákōbos, based on Hebrew Yaʿăqōḇ. Behind the Name says that the Hebrew name Jacob is explained as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', and cites another hypothesis, that of a name that would mean 'may God protect'. Among the Portuguese forms, Wiktionary and Behind the Name cite Tiago, Jaime and Iago. In the 2022 Census, IBGE recorded 20,241 people named James, with a median age of 34; proportionally, the name is most common in Acre.
Sources
- Wiktionary: James · en.wiktionary.org · meaning
- Behind the Name: James · behindthename.com · origin
- Behind the Name: Jacob · behindthename.com · meaning
Questions about the name James
What does the name James mean?
James means “English form of Jacob, 'one who holds the heel' or 'supplanter'”, according to Wiktionary and Behind the Name.
How many people are named James in Brazil?
IBGE's 2022 Census recorded 20,241 people with the first name James, which ranks it number 1,059 among the country's names. The largest group was born in the 1980s.
Is James a boy's or a girl's name?
James is a male name: in the 2022 Census, 211 women and 20,030 men had this name.
What is the origin of the name James?
James is a name of Hebrew and English origin. The sources are listed at the end of the page.
In which Brazilian state is James most common?
Proportionally, in Acre: 0.053% of the state's population is named James (439 people), according to the 2022 Census.
More names of Hebrew origin
See allSpotted a mistake? Report a correction for James with a source. See the methodology.