Loading...
close

Jacob

+ Add to my list
General Survey Results (3) Popularity More Suggestions
Share on Facebook

Origin and meaning of Jacob



Gender:
Historical gender:
Usage over the past 5 years:
Boys - 99% (153,483 births)
Girls - 1% (201 births)
Source: US SSA data
boy Boy
boy Boy
Origin:
English and German variant of the Latin name Iacobus
Meaning:
Supplanter, held by the heel
More info:

Jacob is an English and German variant of the Latin name Iacobus, which is a variant of the Biblical Greek name Iakobos, which is a variant of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov, meaning "supplanter" or "held by the heel." While the traditional definition for Ya'aqov comes from a phrase that essentially means "he grabs the heel," many believe this meaning to be a folk definition. The original definition could come from an Aramaic phrase for "may God protect."

In the Old Testament, Jacob (later known as Israel) was the father of the twelve men who would make up the twelve tribes of Israel. He was the son of Isaac and Rebecca and was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel - hence the traditional meaning "held by the heel." In Islam, Jacob is considered a prophet and is known as Ya'qub or Yakub in Arabic.

From 1999-2010, Jacob has been the single most popular male baby name in the United States. The English name James is a cognate of Jacob, deriving from the Latin name Iacomus, which was derived from the Greek Iakobus.

Famous bearers include the fictional characters Jacob Marley from "A Christmas Carol" and Jacob Black from the "Twilight" book series.

Pronunciation:
JAY kub
Form of:
Iacobus
Variants:
Rating:
3 Name Surveys
Popularity:
Ranks 1st in the latest U.S. Social Security Administration list of most popular baby boy names. Show popularity chart
Categories:
Jacob is listed in the name categories below

Is your name Jacob?
Take our 1 minute survey and tell us what it is like to be named Jacob. It's 5 multiple choice questions!


close
Meaning of Jacob: Jacob is an English and German variant of the Latin name Iacobus, which is a variant of the Biblical Greek name Iakobos, which is a variant of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov, meaning "supplanter" or "held by the heel

My Name List

girl Girls boy Boys
You can add names without registering
Save List Open list in full view A saved list won't be lost in switching computers or clearing cookies!
Invite friends to vote on your list using Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest & email