James
Boy name · #6 in 2025 · Very well-known
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 is currently the #6 boy name in the United States — 11,945 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #7, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 151 boys born in 2025 was named James.
Babies named James per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
James first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5,927 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 94,767 boys were named James — good for #1 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.
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 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 James is most common
Geography matters for names, and James is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, James is most common in WY (23 per 1,000), VT (17 per 1,000), AK (17 per 1,000), MS (15 per 1,000), DC (15 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 8.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where James is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of James
James carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the James family went to about 12,782 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #5, versus #6 for James alone.
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 William, John, Charles, Thomas, and Joseph.
WilliamJohnCharlesThomasJosephDavidMichaelDaniel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named James | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11,945 | #6 |
| 2024 | 11,856 | #5 |
| 2023 | 11,739 | #4 |
| 2022 | 12,119 | #4 |
| 2021 | 12,474 | #5 |
| 2020 | 12,390 | #6 |
| 2019 | 13,198 | #6 |
| 2018 | 13,650 | #4 |
| 2017 | 14,362 | #4 |
| 2016 | 14,920 | #5 |
| 2015 | 14,865 | #7 |
| 2014 | 14,464 | #9 |
| 2013 | 13,596 | #13 |
| 2012 | 13,458 | #14 |
| 2011 | 13,275 | #17 |
| 2010 | 13,901 | #19 |
| 2009 | 14,223 | #18 |
| 2008 | 15,190 | #17 |
| 2007 | 15,973 | #15 |
| 2006 | 16,255 | #16 |
| 2005 | 16,140 | #17 |
| 2004 | 16,469 | #18 |
| 2003 | 16,896 | #18 |
| 2002 | 16,968 | #18 |
| 2001 | 17,074 | #19 |
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 5,927 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is James a popular boy name?
James ranked #6 among boys in 2025 with 11,945 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #7.
When was the name James most popular?
James peaked in 1947, when 94,767 American boys received the name (ranked #1 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name James?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 151 newborn American boys was named James. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.