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Jacob

Jacob is a boy's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin meaning “to follow, to be behind.” In 2024 it was given to 6,496 boys in the United States.

Jacob at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
Biblical & Christian · English & American · Greek
Meaning
“to follow, to be behind”
Pronunciation
/ˈd͡ʒeɪkəb/

About the name Jacob

Jacob belongs to the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition. Its meaning — “to follow, to be behind” — is the sense carried by its Hebrew and Biblical roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Jacob first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #1 in 1999, and in 2024 6,496 babies received the name — 981,940 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Jacob in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#1 in 1999
Peak year
1998
Babies named Jacob in 2024
6,496
Total since 1880
981,940

Similar names

More names from the Biblical & Christian shelf:

JamesHebrew and BiblicalJohnHebrew and BiblicalMichaelHebrew and BiblicalDavidHebrew and BiblicalJosephHebrew and BiblicalThomasHebrew and BiblicalDanielHebrew and BiblicalMatthewHebrew and Biblical

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Jacob mean?

Jacob means “to follow, to be behind” in its Hebrew and Biblical roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Jacob a boy or girl name?

Jacob is a boy name. In 2024, 6,496 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Jacob?

Jacob comes from the Biblical & Christian, English & American and Greek tradition.

How popular is the name Jacob?

Jacob first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #1 in 1999, and 6,496 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Jacob?

Jacob is pronounced /ˈd͡ʒeɪkəb/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.