Fun Facts About the Name Jaap
- 10 babies named Jaap: U.S. records list 10 babies given the name Jaap from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jaap Mean?
Jaap is a Dutch masculine name, a familiar short form of Jacob, and it shares Jacob's traditional meaning, "supplanter." Jacob derives from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (יַעֲקֹב), commonly connected with the Hebrew word ʿaqev, "heel," giving the sense "he grasps the heel" or "he follows at the heel." The familiar rendering "supplanter" is a customary interpretation tied to the biblical story of Jacob and Esau rather than a simple literal translation. The precise etymology of Yaʿaqov is uncertain, and other explanations have been proposed, but Jaap's relationship to Jacob is established.
Jaap Name History & Origins
Jaap is one of the Dutch short forms of Jacob. Jacob was an established biblical name in Dutch-speaking Europe, and Dutch developed everyday shortened forms alongside the learned Latin Jacobus, which came from Greek Iakobos and ultimately from Hebrew Yaʿaqov. Jaap is used as an independent Dutch given name, not only as a nickname, and it is also found in Afrikaans, where Dutch naming patterns were carried to southern Africa. Its history is therefore bound up with the Dutch use of Jacob rather than with a separate root.
How Popular is the Name Jaap?
Jaap 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 2022. Its best rank was #15,863 in 2025.
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 | #15,863 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #16,275 | 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.
Explore More Lists with Name Jaap
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with J
Short Girl Names That Start with J
How the Name Jaap Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Jaap's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jaap's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.