The first name Jacob
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “may he heel”, “to heel”, “heel of the foot”.
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒeɪkəb/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Jacob means “may he heel”, “to heel”, “heel of the foot” in Hebrew.
From Middle English Iacob, from Late Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), 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 James, Yaakov, and Yakub.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,258 boys were named Jacob, making it the 41st most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 5,286 births (#5).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jacob with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jacob at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 6,152 boys born in the United States were named Jacob, the 43rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1998, when 36,031 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Jacob in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Jacob in Danish, Dutch and French too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Jacob
369 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Jacob Zuma4th President of South Africa (2009–2018)
- Carl Gustav Jacob JacobiGerman mathematician (1804–1851)
- Max JacobFrench poet, painter, writer and critic (1876-1944)
- Jacob ElordiAustralian actor (born 1997)
- Jacob van RuisdaelDutch painter and engraver (1628-1682)
- John Jacob Astor IGerman-American businessman (1763-1848)
- Jacob JordaensFlemish painter, draftsman and designer of prints and tapestries (1593-1678)
- Jacob BatalonAmerican actor, born 1996
- John Jacob Astor IVAmerican businessman, real estate builder, investor, inventor, writer, lieutenant colonel , 1864–1912
- Jacob TremblayCanadian actor, born 2006
- Jacobus ArminiusDutch theologian, inspirator of Arminianism, champion of tolerance (1560-1609)
- Jacob RiisAmerican photographer, journalist and activist (1849–1914)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Jacob mean?
- Jacob means “may he heel”, “to heel”, “heel of the foot” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Jacob?
- From Middle English Iacob, from Late Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), 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,…
- How popular is the name Jacob?
- In 2025, 1,258 boys born in England and Wales were named Jacob, ranking 41st. Its peak was 2012, with 5,286 births.
- What are nicknames for Jacob?
- Common nicknames for Jacob include Jay.
- Is Jacob a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 990,532 US babies named Jacob since 1880 were boys.
- When was Jacob most popular?
- 1998 in the United States, when 36,031 babies were named Jacob, its highest rank at 2nd.
- How do you pronounce Jacob?
- Jacob is /ˈd͡ʒeɪkəb/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Jacob?
- Yaacov.
- Is Jacob also a surname?
- Yes. Jacob is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.