Jacob
How to say it: JAY-kub · /ˈdʒeɪkəb/
He who supplants or grabs the heel — from the Hebrew Yaakov, referring to the biblical patriarch.
Jacob was the 46th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 6,152 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 62% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #96 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #46 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 6,152 |
| Share of births | 1 in 517 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −62% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #96 |
| In France, 2025 | #293 among boys’ names, 175 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
The 1990s marked the high point for Jacob. It has since fallen well below that level and should keep slipping.
What goes with it
Crisp edges shape its two parts, giving a strong impression with biblical roots. Jake is a natural short form and Benjamin pairs easily alongside.
Middle names that flow with Jacob →
Nicknames
- Jake
- Jay
Honouring a Jacob in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Jacob is about 1 in 22.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #293 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #41. Ireland: #62.
Famous people named Jacob
- Jacob Zuma (born 1942)4th President of South Africa
- Jacob Grimm (1785–1863)German philologist, linguist, jurist and mythologist
- Jacob Elordi (born 1997)Australian actor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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