Meanings
proper nounJames (countable and uncountable, plural Jameses)
plural Jameses
- countableuncountablebiblicalThe twentieth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the general epistle of James.
- countableuncountableOne of two Apostles, James the Greater and James the Less, often identified with James, brother of Jesus.
1 more example
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 10:1–3 - countableuncountableA male given name from Hebrew popular since the Middle Ages. Also a common middle name.
Heaven only knows why a man with a strong biblical name like James wants to be a president named Jimmy.
1979 Charles Kuralt, Dateline America, Harcourt Brace Jovanocich, page 1842 more examples
[…] And Normans call me James Fitz-James. / Thus watch I o'er insulted laws, / Thus learn to right the injured cause. […]
1810, Walter Scott, “Canto VI. The Guard-room.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza XXVIII, page 286In the political drama that Donald Trump has created in Washington, he could not have dreamed up a more formidable adversary than James Comey.
2017 June 8, Maeve Reston, “Trump meets the ultimate adversary in James Comey”, in CNN, archived from the original on 16 Jul 2017 - countableuncountableAn English surname originating as a patronymic.
- A placename
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Jones County, Georgia, United States.
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States.
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Origin
- Old FrenchJames
- Biblical Hebrewיַעֲקֹב
- Ancient GreekἸάκωβος
- LatinIācōbus
- Vulgar LatinIācōmus
- Old FrenchJames
- Middle EnglishJames
- EnglishJames
The English New Testament form of Jacob, from Middle English James, from Old French James, from Vulgar Latin Iācōmus, spoken and altered pronunciation of Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), from Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb), from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (yaʿăqōḇ, literally “May He Heel”), from the third-person singular masculine imperfective form of the Semitic verb "to heel" (with various meanings), in turn from עָקֵב (ʿāqēḇ, “heel of the foot”). Doublet of Jacques, Jacob, Iago, Jago, Yago, Hamish, Seamus, Tiago, Santiago, and Yaakov. In reference to the Ecuadorian island, a modification of the earlier name Duke of York's Island after its eponymous duke's coronation as James II of England. See Occitan Jacme for an intermediary between Old French James and Catalan Jaume.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Vulgar Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans Jakobus, Jakobus
- Jakobusbook of the Bible
- Jakobusone of two Apostles
- Jakobusmale given name (the standard form)
- Jakomale given name (the standard form)
- Jacobusmale given name (the standard form)
- Jacomale given name (the standard form)
Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος, Ἰάκωβος
- Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos)book of the Bible
- Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos)one of two Apostles
- Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos)male given name (the standard form)
Arabic يَعْقُوب, يَعْقُوب
- يَعْقُوب (yaʕqūb)book of the Bible
- يَعْقُوب (yaʕqūb)one of two Apostles
- جَايْمْز (jaymz)male given name (the standard form)
- جَيْمْس (jayms)male given name (the standard form)
Basque Jagoba, Jagoba
- Jagobabook of the Bible
- Jagobaone of two Apostles
- Jakesmale given name (the standard form)
Bulgarian Яков
- Яков (Jakov)male given name (the standard form)
Catalan Jaume, Jaume
- Jaumebook of the Bible
- Jaumemale given name (the standard form)
- Xaumemale given name (the standard form)
Chinese Cantonese 雅各書 /雅各书
- 雅各書 /雅各书 (ngaa⁵ gok³ syu¹)book of the Bible
Chinese Mandarin 雅各書 /雅各书, 詹姆斯
- 雅各書 /雅各书 (Yǎgèshū)book of the Bible
- 詹姆斯 (Zhānmǔsī)male given name (the standard form)
Czech Jakub, Jakub
- Jakubbook of the Bible
- Jakubone of two Apostles
- Jakubmale given name (the standard form)
Danish Jakob, Jakob
- Jakobbook of the Bible
- Jakobone of two Apostles
- Jakobmale given name (the standard form)
Dutch Jakobus, Jakobus
- Jakobusbook of the Bible
- Jakobusone of two Apostles
- Jacobmale given name (the standard form)
- Jacobusmale given name (the standard form)
Esperanto Jakobo, Jakobo
- Jakobobook of the Bible
- Jakobomale given name (the standard form)
Estonian Jaakobuse, Jaakobus
- Jaakobusebook of the Bible
- Jaakobusone of two Apostles
- Jaakmale given name (the standard form)
Finnish Jaakobin kirje, Jaakob
- Jaakobin kirjebook of the Bible
- Jaakobone of two Apostles
- Jaakkomale given name (the standard form)
French Jacques, Jacques
- Jacquesbook of the Bible
- Jacquesone of two Apostles
- Jacquesmale given name (the standard form)
German Jakobus, Jakobus
- Jakobusbook of the Bible
- Jakobusone of two Apostles
- Jakobmale given name (the standard form)
Greek Ιάκωβος, Ιακώβ
- Ιάκωβος (Iákovos)book of the Bible
- Ιακώβ (Iakóv)book of the Bible
- Ιάκωβος (Iákovos)one of two Apostles
- Ιακώβ (Iakóv)one of two Apostles
- Ιάκωβος (Iákovos)male given name (the standard form)
- Ιακώβ (Iakóv)male given name (the standard form)
- Τζέιμς (Tzéims)male given name (the standard form)
Hawaiian Iakobo, Iakobo
- Iakobobook of the Bible
- Iakoboone of two Apostles
- Kimomale given name (the standard form)
- Iakopomale given name (the standard form)
Hebrew אִגֶּרֶת יַעֲקֹב, יַעֲקֹב בֵּן זַבְדִי
- אִגֶּרֶת יַעֲקֹב (Iggèret-ya'Aqóv)book of the Bible
- יַעֲקֹב בֵּן זַבְדִי (Ya'Aqóv bèn Zavdí)one of two Apostles
- ג׳יימסmale given name (the standard form)
Hindi याक़ूब, याक़ूब
- याक़ूब (yāqūb)book of the Bible
- याक़ूब (yāqūb)one of two Apostles
- जेम्स (jems)male given name (the standard form)
Hungarian Jakab, Jakab
- Jakabbook of the Bible
- Jakabone of two Apostles
- Jakabmale given name (the standard form)
Icelandic Jakob, Jakob
- Jakobbook of the Bible
- Jakobone of two Apostles
- Jakobmale given name (the standard form)
Indonesian Yakobus, Yakobus
- Yakobusbook of the Bible
- Yakobusone of two Apostles
Irish Séamas, Séamas
- Séamasbook of the Bible
- Séamasone of two Apostles
- Naomh Séamasone of two Apostles
- Séamasmale given name (the standard form)
- Séamusmale given name (the standard form)
Italian Giacomo, Giacomo
- Giacomobook of the Bible
- Giacomoone of two Apostles
- Giacomomale given name (the standard form)
Japanese ヤコブの手紙, ヤコブ
- ヤコブの手紙 (Yakobu no Tegami)book of the Bible
- ヤコブ (Yakobu)one of two Apostles
- ジェームズ (Jēmuzu)male given name (the standard form)
- ジェイムズ (Jeimuzu)male given name (the standard form)
Korean 야고보, 제임스
- 야고보 (Yagobo)male given name (the standard form)
- 제임스 (Jeimseu)male given name (the standard form)
Latin Iacobus, Iacobus
- Iacobusbook of the Bible
- Iacobusone of two Apostles
- Jacomusmale given name (the standard form)
Latvian Jēkaba vēstule, Jēkabs
- Jēkaba vēstulebook of the Bible
- Jēkabsone of two Apostles
- Jēkabsmale given name (the standard form)
- Džeimssmale given name (the standard form)
Lithuanian Jokū̃bo láiškas, Jokū̃bas
- Jokū̃bo láiškasbook of the Bible
- Jokū̃basone of two Apostles
- Jokū̃basmale given name (the standard form)
Malay Yakobus, Yakub
- Yakobusbook of the Bible
- Yakubmale given name (the standard form)
- Yaacobmale given name (the standard form)
Māori Hēmi, Hēmi
- Hēmibook of the Bible
- Hēmione of two Apostles
- Hēmimale given name (the standard form)
Norwegian Jakob, Jakob
- Jakobbook of the Bible
- Jakobone of two Apostles
- Jakobmale given name (the standard form)
Persian جیمز
- جیمز (jeymz)male given name (the standard form)
Polish List Jakuba, Jakub
- List Jakubabook of the Bible
- Jakubone of two Apostles
- Jakubmale given name (the standard form)
Portuguese Tiago, Tiago
- Tiagobook of the Bible
- Tiagoone of two Apostles
- Diogomale given name (the standard form)
- Jaimemale given name (the standard form)
- Tiagomale given name (the standard form)
- Iagomale given name (the standard form)
Punjabi ਯਾਕੂਬ
- ਯਾਕੂਬ (yākūb)book of the Bible
Romanian Iacob, Iacob
- Iacobbook of the Bible
- Iacobone of two Apostles
- Iacobmale given name (the standard form)
Russian Иа́ков, Иа́ков
- Иа́ков (Iákov)book of the Bible
- Иа́ков (Iákov)one of two Apostles
- Я́ков (Jákov)male given name (the standard form)
- Джеймс (Džejms)male given name (the standard form)
Scottish Gaelic Seumas, Seumas
- Seumasbook of the Bible
- Seumasone of two Apostles
- Seumasmale given name (the standard form)
Slovak Jakubov, Jakubov
- Jakubovbook of the Bible
- Jakubovone of two Apostles
- Jakubmale given name (the standard form)
Spanish Santiago, Santiago
- Santiagobook of the Bible
- Santiagoone of two Apostles
- Jacoboone of two Apostles
- Yagomale given name (the standard form)
- Jaimemale given name (the standard form)
- Santiagomale given name (the standard form)
- Jacobomale given name (the standard form)
- Diegomale given name (the standard form)
Swahili Yakobo, Yakobo
- Yakobobook of the Bible
- Yakoboone of two Apostles
- Yakobomale given name (the standard form)
Swedish Jakobsbrevet, Jakob
- Jakobsbrevetbook of the Bible
- Jakobone of two Apostles
- Jakobmale given name (the standard form)
Tagalog Santiago, Santiago
- Santiagobook of the Bible
- Santiagoone of two Apostles
- Jaimemale given name (the standard form)
- Santiagomale given name (the standard form)
Tamil யாக்கோபு
- யாக்கோபு (yākkōpu)book of the Bible
Thai ยากอบ, ยากอบ
- ยากอบbook of the Bible
- ยากอบone of two Apostles
Turkish Yakup, Yakub
- Yakupbook of the Bible
- Yakubbook of the Bible
- Yakubmale given name (the standard form)
- Yakupmale given name (the standard form)
Ukrainian Яків, Я́ків
- Яків (Jakiv)one of two Apostles
- Я́ків (Jákiv)male given name (the standard form)
Vietnamese Giacôbê, Giacơ
- Giacôbêone of two Apostles
- Giacơone of two Apostles
Welsh Iago, Iago
- Iagobook of the Bible
- Iagoone of two Apostles
- Iagomale given name (the standard form)
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with James
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
James. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/James
MLA
“James.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/James. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “James,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/James.
Source: James on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.