Fun Facts About the Name Jacobi
- More than 4 thousand babies named Jacobi: U.S. records list 4,500 babies given the name Jacobi from 1880 through 2025. Even 306 girls received the name Jacobi - about 1 girl for every 14 boys.
What Does the Name Jacobi Mean?
Jacobi is a Latinized form of Jacob, and its meaning comes from that older name. In Latin, Jacobi is the genitive, or possessive, case of Jacobus, the Latin form of Greek Iakōbos, which derives from Hebrew Yaʿaqov. The Hebrew name is traditionally linked to ʿaqev, "heel," and the verb ʿaqav, "to supplant" or "to grasp the heel" - a wordplay in Genesis, where Jacob is born gripping his twin brother's heel and later is accused of supplanting him. That gives the customary meaning "supplanter." In addition to that inherited sense, Jacobi has a literal family-name sense: the Latin genitive in a phrase such as filius Jacobi, "son of Jacob," became a fixed surname, so the name also means "son of Jacob." A scholarly minority derivation connects Yaʿaqov to a shortened theophoric name meaning "may God protect," so the older etymology is not entirely settled.
Jacobi Name History & Origins
Jacobi comes into use through Latin rather than directly from Hebrew. Greek speakers rendered Yaʿaqov as Iakōbos, and Latin writers made that Jacobus, the form behind English Jacob and, by way of the altered Latin Iacomus, English James. The final -i in Jacobi is the Latin genitive ending, so the word literally means "of Jacob." That genitive was common in medieval records: a man listed as Petrus filius Jacobi was "Peter, son of Jacob," and over time such bynames hardened into hereditary family names in German-speaking regions, Denmark, and Italy, alongside related forms such as Jacobs, Jakobs, and Jacobsen. The same genitive appears in church dedications, as in the St. Jacobi churches of northern Germany, where the name means "of Saint James." As a surname it was borne by the mathematician Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi and by the actor Derek Jacobi. Its use as a first name is largely a modern English development of the surname-as-given-name type, not a continuous line of descent from the biblical name.
How Popular is the Name Jacobi?
Jacobi 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 2008. Its best rank was #1,017 in 2008.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #14,281 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #14,521 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #16,887 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #17,280 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #15,246 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #13,740 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #11,643 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #13,914 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #18,067 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #9,712 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #9,783 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #9,716 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #9,496 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #12,951 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #9,780 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #7,915 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #7,318 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #7,905 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #7,270 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #8,593 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #7,791 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #7,720 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #14,255 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #6,780 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #4,747 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1991 | #7,126 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #8,752 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #13,136 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #9,633 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #11,982 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #8,885 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #9,759 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #7,650 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #11,119 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,318 | 60 | 0.0035% |
| 2024 | #1,820 | 89 | 0.0052% |
| 2023 | #1,738 | 95 | 0.0056% |
| 2022 | #1,843 | 87 | 0.0050% |
| 2021 | #1,516 | 117 | 0.0067% |
| 2020 | #1,419 | 122 | 0.0071% |
| 2019 | #1,432 | 122 | 0.0068% |
| 2018 | #1,353 | 132 | 0.0073% |
| 2017 | #1,426 | 122 | 0.0066% |
| 2016 | #1,300 | 140 | 0.0074% |
| 2015 | #1,304 | 136 | 0.0071% |
| 2014 | #1,231 | 148 | 0.0077% |
| 2013 | #1,235 | 144 | 0.0076% |
| 2012 | #1,238 | 143 | 0.0075% |
| 2011 | #1,122 | 163 | 0.0086% |
| 2010 | #1,115 | 170 | 0.0089% |
| 2009 | #1,040 | 184 | 0.0093% |
| 2008 | #1,017 | 189 | 0.0093% |
| 2007 | #1,190 | 148 | 0.0071% |
| 2006 | #1,327 | 124 | 0.0060% |
| 2005 | #1,436 | 103 | 0.0052% |
| 2004 | #1,349 | 108 | 0.0054% |
| 2003 | #1,211 | 121 | 0.0061% |
| 2002 | #1,143 | 125 | 0.0064% |
| 2001 | #1,247 | 107 | 0.0055% |
| 2000 | #1,356 | 94 | 0.0048% |
| 1999 | #1,400 | 84 | 0.0044% |
| 1998 | #1,345 | 89 | 0.0047% |
| 1997 | #1,587 | 64 | 0.0034% |
| 1996 | #1,645 | 59 | 0.0031% |
| 1995 | #1,718 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 1994 | #1,837 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 1993 | #1,647 | 54 | 0.0028% |
| 1992 | #1,171 | 90 | 0.0045% |
| 1991 | #2,111 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 1990 | #2,189 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1989 | #2,570 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #2,105 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1987 | #2,425 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #2,252 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1985 | #2,249 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1984 | #2,391 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1983 | #1,878 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1982 | #1,913 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1981 | #4,304 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #3,009 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #3,666 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #2,847 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1977 | #2,970 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #5,215 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #5,830 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #5,547 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #3,857 | 8 | 0.0005% |
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 Jacobi 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.
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.
✦ Jacobi's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jacobi's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.