Fun Facts About the Name Hamish
- 364 babies named Hamish: U.S. records list 364 babies given the name Hamish from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Hamish Mean?
Hamish is an English-language form of the Scottish Gaelic name Seumas, the Gaelic equivalent of James. Its meaning is therefore the traditional meaning of James, "supplanter," from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov. The Hebrew name is usually explained as "he grasps the heel" or "he supplants," an interpretation tied to the biblical account of Jacob, who grasped his twin Esau's heel at birth. The Gaelic form does not add a separate meaning of its own.
Hamish Name History & Origins
Hamish developed in Scotland as an anglicized rendering of the Scottish Gaelic vocative Sheumais, the form used when addressing someone named Seumas. Seumas itself comes from Latin Iacobus and Greek Iakobos, which derive from Hebrew Ya'aqov. In Gaelic, the vocative is marked by lenition of the initial S, giving Sheumais; English speakers rendered this as Hamish. The name is thus a variant of James rather than an independent coinage, and it remains especially associated with Scotland and Scottish English usage.
Because Hamish arose from a spoken Gaelic case form, its history is separate from the history of the standard English James, though both go back to the same biblical name. It is used as a given name in Scotland and in English-speaking communities influenced by Scottish naming.
How Popular is the Name Hamish?
Hamish has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2017. Its best rank was #4,149 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,240 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,982 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #6,660 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #4,608 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #4,149 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #5,542 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #7,839 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #5,869 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #4,153 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #7,310 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #4,602 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2014 | #4,755 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #7,717 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #5,802 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #9,999 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #7,248 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #6,959 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #5,584 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #8,434 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #9,006 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #10,569 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #7,756 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #7,466 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #6,715 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #8,622 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #9,523 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #8,876 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,169 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,601 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1981 | #6,648 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Hamish Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Hamish's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Hamish's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.