| Ethan | Jacob | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Strong, enduring | Supplanter |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-thun | JAY-kub |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1882 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2004 (22,210) | 1998 (36,031) |
| In 2025 | 7,852 | 6,152 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ethan | Jacob |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 50,594 | 45,178 |
| 2010s | 149,111 | 163,321 |
| 2000s | 201,835 | 274,077 |
| 1990s | 66,930 | 298,415 |
| 1980s | 10,490 | 124,254 |
| 1970s | 5,301 | 36,351 |
| 1960s | 1,601 | 5,075 |
| 1950s | 553 | 5,400 |
| 1940s | 254 | 4,853 |
| 1930s | 225 | 5,264 |
| 1920s | 233 | 9,047 |
| 1910s | 184 | 8,684 |
| 1900s | 17 | 2,191 |
| 1890s | 31 | 2,551 |
| 1880s | 30 | 3,566 |
Ethan comes from the Hebrew for “firm, enduring, strong.” In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was noted for his wisdom.
Jacob comes from the Hebrew Yaakov, linked to “heel” and read as “supplanter.” The patriarch Jacob’s twelve sons founded the tribes of Israel; the same name gives us James.
Ethan is more popular than Jacob today: about 7,852 US babies were given the name Ethan in 2025, compared with 6,152 named Jacob.
Ethan means Strong, enduring (Hebrew origin), while Jacob means Supplanter (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Ethan first appears in 1882 and Jacob in 1880, so Jacob has the longer recorded history.