James

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James

Gender: Masculine
Language: English

Etymology:
The names Jacomus and Jacobus (both Latin forms of the Hebrew name, Yaakov; modern: Jacob) gave to Old French speakers two alternatives: James and Jacques. English speakers (heavily influenced, as they were, by Norman French) preferred James, and it became the original English form of Jacob.
See Jacob for more information.

History:
The first English reference for James is one to the Biblical St. James in 1148. Later, after the 13th century, after the Spanish shrine for St. James (Sant Jago de Compostela) became a popular destination of European pilgrims, the name James became more commonly used, especially in northern England and Scotland.

But James did not become really common in England until the early 17th century, when King James VI of Scotland became King James I of Great Britain in 1603. It has remained very popular ever since.

Please see Jacob for more information.

Pronunciation: jaymes.

Diminutives:
English: Jem, Jim, Jimmie, Jimmy.
Irish Gaelic: Séimí.
Scottish: Jamie, Jamey.

Alternates:
Catalan: Jaume.
Cornish: Jammes, Jamma.
English: Jame, Jeames.
French: Thierry.
French (Old): Gemmes.
Galician: Xaime.
Hawaiian: Kimo.
Irish Gaelic: Seamas, Seamus, Séamus, Seumus.
Irish (Anglicized): Shamus.
Italian: Giacomo, Iachimo.
Manx: Jamys.
Scottish: Hamish, Seumas.
Spanish: Jaime.
Welsh: Siam.

Surnames:
English: Jamison, Jameson.

Feminine Forms: Jamesina.

See also: Hamish, Jaime, Jamie, Jem, Jim, Jimmie, Jimmy, Shamus.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Giacomo da Lentini (13th century)
Italian poet.
Giacomo da Vignola (1507-1573)
Italian architect.
Giacomo della Porta (1537-1602)
Italian architect.
Sir James Sempill of Beltrees (1566-1626)
Scottish poet.
James Montgomery (1771-1854)
Scottish poet.
James Justinian Morier (1780-1849)
English writer.
Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864)
German composer. Originally named Jakob Liebmann Meyer Beer.
James T. Fields (1817-1981)
American author and publisher.
James Tissot (1836-1902)
French painter.
James A. Herne (1839-1901)
American playwright.
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Italian composer of operas.
James Stephens (1880-1950)
Irish poet and storyteller.
James Culhame (1908-1996)
American animator for Walt Disney.
Giacomo Manzù (Manzoni) (1908-1991)
Italian sculptor.
James Schuyler (1923-1991)
American writer.
James Clavell (1924-1994)
Australian author.
James Kirkwood (1924-1989)
American librettist.
James Krüss (1926-1997)
German writer.
Seamus Heaney (1939-)
Irish poet. Winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize for Literature.
James Tate (1942-)
American poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
James Blair (1656-1743)
Founder of the College of William and Mary.
James McGill (1744-1813)
Founder of Canada’s McGill University.
James Tytler (1747-1804)
Editor of the second edition of Encyclopedia Britannica.
James Edwin Creighton (1861-1924)
American philosopher.
James Mooney (1861-1921)
American anthropologist.
James A. Mirrlees (1936-)
Scottish economist.

Military Figures:
James Butler, Duke of Ormonde (1665-1745)
Irish-born British general and political figure.
James Keith (1696-1758)
A Scot, who was a military commander for King Frederick II of Prussia.
James Fitzjames, Duc de Fitz-james (1670-1734)
Illegitimate son of King James II of Great Britain, and a leading military commander in France.
James B. McPherson (1828-1864)
American Union general during the American Civil War.
James Gavin (1907-1990)
American World War II commander.

Miscellaneous:
James Figg (1695-1734)
English fighter, swordsman, wrester, etc.
James Weddell (1787-1834)
British explorer. The Weddell sea is named for him.
James “Jem” Mace (1831-1910)
British boxer.
James Earp (1841-1926)
Eldest brother to Wyatt Earp.
James Chalmers (1841-1901)
British explorer of New Guinea.
James A. Bailey (1847-1906)
Owner of the Cooper, Bailey, and Co. Circus, with merged with P.T. Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth to form the Barnum and Bailey Circus.
James Theodore Bent (1852-1897)
British explorer and archeologist.
James Braid (1870-1950)
British golfer.
James Jackson Jeffries (1875-1953)
American boxer. Heavyweight champion of the world from 1899 to 1905. Called the Boilermaker.
James Colosimo (1877-1920)
American “crime tsar.”
James T. Pyle (1913-1998)
American aviator. Father of the Modern Air Traffic Control System.
James G. Snyder (1918-1996)
American gambler called Jimmy the Greek. Originally named Dimetrios Georgos Synodinos.
James Earl Rey (1928-1998)
The man who assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
James A. McDivitt (1929-)
American astronaut.
James B. Irwin (1930-1991)
American astronaut.
James (Jim) Clark (1936-1968)
Scottish automobile racer.
James B. McDougal (1940-1998)
American businessman implicated in the Whitewater scandal.

Places:
Fort Saint James
British Columbia, Canada.
James Bay
Canada.
James River
Virginia.
James River
North Dakota.
Jamestown
Virginia. First permanent English settlement in the New World. Named for King James I of Great Britain.
Saint James
London.

Political Figures:
Sir James Douglas (1286-1330)
Called Black Douglas. The champion of Robert the Bruce.
James Douglas, Earl of Douglas (1358-1388)
Scottish leader against the English.
James Beaton (1470-1539)
Chancellor of Scotland from 1523 to 1526.
James Hamilton, Earl of Arran (1517-1575)
Tutor for Mary, Queen of Scots.
James Cragg (1657-1721)
English politician.
James Murray (1721-1794)
British governor of Quebec from 1760-1768.
James Bowdoin (1726-1790)
American revolutionary leader. Founder of the American Academy of Arts and Science.
James Madison (1751-1836)
4th President of the United States.
James Monroe (1758-1831)
5th President of the United States.
James M. Wayne (1790-1867)
American associate justice of the Supreme Court.
James Buchanan (1791-1868)
15th President of the United States.
James K. Polk (1795-1849)
11th President of the United States.
James Garfield (1831-1881)
20th President of the United States. Assassinated
James T. Rapier (1837-1883)
Black member of the House of Representatives during Reconstruction.
Jimmy (James Earl) Carter (1924-)
39th President of the United States.

Religious Figures:
Saint James the Great (?-44 A.D)
One of the original twelve apostles. Also called James, son of Zebedee. Beheaded.
Saint James the Less
One of the original twelve apostles. Also called James, son of Alphaeus.
Saint James (-62 A.D.):
An early church leader.
James Melville (1556-1614)
Scottish Presbyterian reformer.
James Jesse Strang (1813-1856)
Dissident Mormon leader who had fought with Brigham Young. He brought his followers to Beaver Island, Michigan and declared himself “King of Beaver Island.” Assassinated.

Royalty:
King James I of Aragon (1208-1276):
Also called James the Conqueror (Spanish: Jaime el Conquistador)
King James II of Aragon (1264-1327):
Called James the Just (Spanish: Jaime el Justo). Ruled from 1285 to 1295.
King James I of Scotland (1394-1437):
Came to the throne at age 12. Ruled from 1406 to 1437. Assassinated.
King James II of Scotland (1430-1460):
Son of James I. Came to the throne at age seven. Killed in battle.
King James III of Scotland (1452-1488):
Son of James II. Came to the throne at age 8. A weak monarch. Killed in battle.
King James IV of Scotland (1473-1513):
Son of James III. Came to the throne at age 15. Improved Scotland’s standing in Europe. Married Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII.
King James V of Scotland (1512-1542):
Came to the throne as an infant. Father of Mary, Queen of Scots (he died when she was an infant.
James Stewart, Earl of Moray (1531-1570)
Illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland, and briefly regent for his nephew, King James VI of Scotland (King James I of Great Britain). Assassinated.
King James I of Great Britain (1566-1625):
Also King James VI of Scotland. The son of Mary, Queen of Scots, heir to Queen Elizabeth I of England, and first Stuart king of England. Commissioned the King James Bible. He became the monarch of Scotland as a baby, when his mother abdicated.
King James II of Great Britain (1633-1701):
Was deposed in the “Glorious Revolution” for turning Catholic. The throne then passed to his daughter and son-in-law.
James Scott, Duke of Monmouth (1649-1685):
Illegitimate son of King Charles II of Great Britain. Led an unsuccessful rebellion against his uncle, King James II.
James Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender (1688-1766):
Son of King James II of Great Britain. Denied the crown because of his religion. His various invasions failed.
James Jesse Strang (1813-1856)
Dissident Mormon leader who had fought with Brigham Young. He brought his followers to Beaver Island, Michigan and declared himself “King of Beaver Island.” Assassinated.

Scientists:
James Gregory (1761-1675)
Scottish mathematician and astronomer.
James Short (1710-1768)
British optician and astronomer.
James Watt (1736-)
Scottish inventor of the steam engine.
James Hargreaves (?-1778)
British inventor of the spinning jenny.
Sir James Hall (1761-1832)
Scottish geologist.
James Smithson (1765-1829)
English scientist. Founder of America’s Smithsonian Institute.
James Pollard Espy (1785-1860)
American meteorologist.
James Braide (1795-1860)
British surgeon.
James Scott Bowerbank (1797-1877)
British naturalist.
Giacomo Doria (1840-1913)
Italian naturalist.
James Ward (1843-1925)
British psychologist.
James Rowland Angell (1869-1949)
American psychologist.
James W. Alexander, II (1888-1971)
American mathematician.
James Rainwater (1917-1986)
American physicist. Co-winner of the 1975 Nobel Prize for Physics.

Singers and Entertainers:
James Henry Hackett (1800-1871)
American actor.
James William Wallack, II (1818-1873)
British-American actor.
James O’Neill (1849-1920)
Irish-American actor. Father of Eugene O’Neill.
James Mason (1909-1984)
American actor.
James Uys (1921-)
South African filmmaker.
James Earl Jones (1931-)
American actor.
James Taylor (1948-)
American singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
3.318 % named James
0.191 % named Jimmy
0.118 % named Jim
0.066 % named Jamie
0.058 % named Jimmie
0.055 % named Jaime
0.005 % named Jamey
0.005 % named Jamison

Popularity of James:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 3rd most popular.
1850: 3rd most popular.
1875: 4th most popular.
1880: 5th most popular.
1881: 4th most popular.
1882: 4th most popular.
1883: 4th most popular.
1884: 5th most popular.
1885: 5th most popular.
1886: 5th most popular.
1887: 4th most popular.
1888: 5th most popular.
1889: 5th most popular.
1890: 4th most popular.
1891: 3rd most popular.
1892: 3rd most popular.
1893: 3rd most popular.
1894: 6th most popular.
1895: 4th most popular.
1896: 3rd most popular.
1897: 3rd most popular.
1898: 4th most popular.
1899: 4th most popular.
1900: 3rd most popular.
1901: 3rd most popular.
1902: 3rd most popular.
1903: 3rd most popular.
1904: 3rd most popular.
1905: 3rd most popular.
1906: 3rd most popular.
1907: 3rd most popular.
1908: 3rd most popular.
1909: 3rd most popular.
1910: 3rd most popular.
1911: 3rd most popular.
1912: 3rd most popular.
1913: 3rd most popular.
1914: 3rd most popular.
1915: 3rd most popular.
1916: 3rd most popular.
1917: 3rd most popular.
1918: 4th most popular.
1919: 3rd most popular.
1920: 3rd most popular.
1921: 3rd most popular.
1922: 3rd most popular.
1923: 4th most popular.
1924: 3rd most popular.
1925: 3rd most popular.
1926: 4th most popular.
1927: 2nd most popular.
1928: 3rd most popular.
1929: 3rd most popular.
1930: 2ndmost popular.
1931: 2nd most popular.
1932: 3rd most popular.
1933: 2nd most popular.
1934: 2nd most popular.
1935: 1st most popular.
1936: 2nd most popular.
1937: 2nd most popular.
1938: 2nd most popular.
1939: 2nd most popular.
1940: 1st most popular.
1941: 3rd most popular.
1942: 1st most popular.
1943: 1st most popular.
1944: 2nd most popular.
1945: 1st most popular.
1946: 1st most popular.
1947: 1st most popular.
1948: 2nd most popular.
1949: 1st most popular.
1950: 2nd most popular.
1951: 2nd most popular.
1952: 1st most popular.
1953: 3rd most popular.
1954: 4th most popular.
1955: 2nd most popular.
1956: 4th most popular.
1957: 2nd most popular.
1958: 5th most popular.
1959: 3rd most popular.
1960: 4th most popular.
1961: 4th most popular.
1962: 5th most popular.
1963: 4th most popular.
1964: 5th most popular.
1965: 2nd most popular.
1966: 4th most popular.
1967: 4th most popular.
1968: 3rd most popular.
1969: 5th most popular.
1970: 4th most popular.
1971: 4th most popular.
1972: 5th most popular.
1973: 3rd most popular.
1974: 5th most popular.
1975: 5th most popular.
1976: 6th most popular.
1977: 4th most popular.
1978: 5th most popular.
1979: 5th most popular.
1980: 5th most popular.
1981: 7th most popular.
1982: 5th most popular.
1983: 7th most popular.
1984: 7th most popular.
1985: 7th most popular.
1986: 8th most popular.
1987: 9th most popular.
1988-1989: N/A
1990: 8th most popular.
1991: 10th most popular.
1992: 9th most popular.
1993: 14th most popular.
1994: 14th most popular.
1996: 17th most popular.
1997: 17th most popular.
1996: 15th most popular.
1997: 16th most popular.
1998: 19th most popular.
1999: 19th most popular.
2000: 18th most popular.
2001: 19th most popular.
2002: 18th most popular.
2003: 18th most popular.

In France...
1900: 184th most popular.
1910: 170th most popular.
1920: 124th most popular.
1930: 87th most popular.
1940: 93rd most popular.
1950: 95th most popular.
1960: 99th most popular.
1970: 148th most popular.
1976: 200th most popular.
1980-2000: N/A

In Ireland...
1998: 4th most popular.
1999: 4th most popular.
2000: 5th most popular.
2001: 5th most popular.
2002: 5th most popular.
2003: 5th most popular.

Popularity of Jameson:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1980: N/A
1980-1990: 564th most popular.
1990: N/A
1991: 630th most popular.
1992: 731st most popular.
1993: 682nd most popular.
1994: 707th most popular.
1996: 728th most popular.
1997: 684th most popular.
1998: 669th most popular.
1999: 735th most popular.
2000: 739th most popular.
2001: 627th most popular.
2002: 629th most popular.
2003: 564th most popular.

Popularity of Jamison:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1970: N/A
1970-1980: 522nd most popular.
1980-1990: 578th most popular.
1990: N/A
1991: 633rd most popular.
1992: 671st most popular.
1993: 671st most popular.
1994: 688th most popular.
1996: 735th most popular.
1997: 680th most popular.
1998: 610th most popular.
1999: 652nd most popular.
2000: 631st most popular.
2001: 607th most popular.
2002: 649th most popular.
2003: 590th most popular.