James
Girl name · #2860 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name James? In official American birth records, James has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
James ranks #2860 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 59 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3842, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,508 girls born in 2025 was named James.
The 145-year story
James first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 22 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1928, when 427 girls were named James — good for #319 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 James per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare James against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another James in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common James is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your James will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where James is most common
State-level data for James is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like James
Statistically, parents drawn to James tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dolores, Doris, Juanita, Johnnie, and Jennie.
DoloresDorisJuanitaJohnnieJennieHildaDorcasJoann
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named James | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2859 |
| 2024 | 68 | #2585 |
| 2023 | 79 | #2314 |
| 2022 | 85 | #2208 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2558 |
| 2020 | 66 | #2580 |
| 2019 | 68 | #2561 |
| 2018 | 45 | #3438 |
| 2017 | 77 | #2357 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2617 |
| 2015 | 39 | #3842 |
| 2014 | 42 | #3652 |
| 2013 | 28 | #4887 |
| 2012 | 28 | #4957 |
| 2011 | 30 | #4681 |
| 2010 | 30 | #4735 |
| 2009 | 51 | #3252 |
| 2008 | 32 | #4647 |
| 2007 | 33 | #4475 |
| 2006 | 46 | #3469 |
| 2005 | 26 | #4958 |
| 2004 | 95 | #1962 |
| 2003 | 34 | #3946 |
| 2002 | 31 | #4071 |
| 2001 | 42 | #3256 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name James?
In official American birth records, the name James first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 22 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is James a popular girl name?
James ranked #2860 among girls in 2025 with 59 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3842.
When was the name James most popular?
James peaked in 1928, when 427 American girls received the name (ranked #319 that year). Since 1928 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name James?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,508 newborn American girls was named James. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.