Jacob
Boy name · #43 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Jacob? In official American birth records, Jacob has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Jacob ranks #43 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 6,152 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 293 boys born in 2025 was named Jacob.
The 145-year story
Jacob first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 404 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 36,031 boys were named Jacob — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jacob per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jacob against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jacob in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jacob is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Jacob is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jacob is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jacob is most common in WY (13 per 1,000), DC (9.1 per 1,000), RI (8 per 1,000), AK (7.9 per 1,000), NY (7.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 4.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jacob is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Jacob
Jacob carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Jacob family went to about 6,834 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #35, versus #43 for Jacob alone.
Names like Jacob
Statistically, parents drawn to Jacob tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Caleb, Dylan, Jose, Cameron, and Nathan.
CalebDylanJoseCameronNathanJordanJoshuaIsaac
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jacob | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,152 | #43 |
| 2024 | 6,541 | #40 |
| 2023 | 7,015 | #35 |
| 2022 | 7,667 | #32 |
| 2021 | 8,494 | #24 |
| 2020 | 9,309 | #15 |
| 2019 | 10,797 | #12 |
| 2018 | 11,897 | #13 |
| 2017 | 13,269 | #9 |
| 2016 | 14,559 | #7 |
| 2015 | 16,005 | #4 |
| 2014 | 16,923 | #4 |
| 2013 | 18,201 | #2 |
| 2012 | 19,110 | #1 |
| 2011 | 20,403 | #1 |
| 2010 | 22,157 | #1 |
| 2009 | 21,204 | #1 |
| 2008 | 22,621 | #1 |
| 2007 | 24,310 | #1 |
| 2006 | 24,871 | #1 |
| 2005 | 25,851 | #1 |
| 2004 | 27,911 | #1 |
| 2003 | 29,658 | #1 |
| 2002 | 30,586 | #1 |
| 2001 | 32,573 | #1 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jacob?
In official American birth records, the name Jacob first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 404 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jacob a popular boy name?
Jacob ranked #43 among boys in 2025 with 6,152 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #4.
When was the name Jacob most popular?
Jacob peaked in 1998, when 36,031 American boys received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jacob?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 293 newborn American boys was named Jacob. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.