| James | Matthew | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Supplanter | gift of Yahweh |
| Origin | Hebrew | hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JAYMZ | MATH-yoo |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1947 (94,767) | 1983 (50,209) |
| In 2025 | 11,945 | 7,003 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | James | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 72,523 | 44,052 |
| 2010s | 139,689 | 125,101 |
| 2000s | 163,179 | 221,631 |
| 1990s | 244,980 | 351,682 |
| 1980s | 356,491 | 458,951 |
| 1970s | 444,713 | 277,727 |
| 1960s | 684,722 | 105,938 |
| 1950s | 843,768 | 35,796 |
| 1940s | 795,775 | 8,760 |
| 1930s | 547,479 | 6,255 |
| 1920s | 515,301 | 8,566 |
| 1910s | 275,070 | 6,228 |
| 1900s | 62,170 | 1,188 |
| 1890s | 50,723 | 1,132 |
| 1880s | 54,055 | 1,068 |
James descends, through Latin Iacomus, from the Hebrew Yaʿaqov (Jacob), traditionally read as “supplanter” or “one who follows.” It has been borne by kings and two apostles.
English form of the Hebrew name Mattityahu (Mattathias), from mattath 'gift' + yah, a short form of the divine name Yahweh. The structure is 'gift of God': 'gift' + the name of God.
James is more popular than Matthew today: about 11,945 US babies were given the name James in 2025, compared with 7,003 named Matthew.
James means Supplanter (Hebrew origin), while Matthew means gift of Yahweh (hebrew origin).
In US records, James first appears in 1880 and Matthew in 1880, so James has the longer recorded history.