James
Pronounced JH EY1 M IY0 Z (ARPABET)
- 2 syllables
- Peaked 1947
- 145 years in use
- Biblical
- 1 spelling
How popular is James?
James is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 5,265,625 children — the 2nd most common boys' name on record.
Its use has been broadly flat across the past two decades. Its best single year was 1947, when 94,763 children were given it.
Jaymes is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.
Spelling variants
These spellings sound identical to James and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.
- Jaymes
Nicknames
Characteristics
- Biblical (Person)
- 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
- Pronunciations:
- JH EY1 M IY0 Z · JH EY1 M Z
- Stress pattern:
- 10 · 1
- Syllables:
- 2
Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.
Names like James
Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.
Sibling names for James
Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.
Frequently asked questions
- How popular is the name James?
- James ranks 2nd among boys' names in US records, with 5,265,625 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 131,833.
- Is James a unisex name?
- No. James is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
- When was James most popular?
- 1947, when 94,763 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
- What are common nicknames for James?
- Jim, Jimmy, Jay. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
- How else is James spelled?
- Jaymes. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.