The name James is the English translation of the Latin name Iacomus, which was derived from the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (Jacob), which means supplanter.
In the New Testament, two of Jesus's apostles were called James. To distinguish them from one another they were given the titles James the Greater and James the Lesser. Another James (James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible, as the brother of Jesus.
The name James experienced a large surge in popularity in the 17th century when the Scottish King James VI inherited the English throne and as James 1 became the first ruler of England and Scotland. The King James Bible, printed during his reign, was named in his honour.
Famous people called James:
James Franco, actor
James Arthur, singer
James Van Der Beek, actor
James Brown, singer
James Spader, actor
James Gandolfini, actor
James Dean, actor
James McAvoy, actor
James Blunt, singer
James Corden, comedian,
James Marsden, actor
James Woods, actor
Paul McCartney, singer (born James Paul McCartney)
Jim Morrison, singer (born James Douglas Morrison)
James Bourne, singer Busted
James Marsden, actor
James Bond, character
Can be shortened to: Jamie, Jim, Jimmy, Jimbo, Jake
Surnames to avoid pairing James with:
To avoid inadvertently advertising an alcohol brand, it might be best to avoid this name if your surname is Beam. Surnames beginning with an 'S' might cause problems too, as when said aloud this combination of sounds may result in elision – when two words are slurred together to end up sounding like one.
Similar names:
Jameson, Jamil, Jamison, Jacob
Feminine variations:
Jamesina, Jamee, Jamey, Jaime
Celebrities who named their baby James:
Mick Jagger, singer
Belinda Carlisle, singer
Colin Farrell, actor
Gladys Knight, singer
Stella McCartney, designer
Patsy Kensit, actor
Jon Voight, actor
Sarah Jessica Parker, actor