Fun Facts About the Name Jacobs
- 81 babies named Jacobs: U.S. records list 81 babies given the name Jacobs from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jacobs Mean?
Jacobs is a patronymic name meaning "son of Jacob." The final -s is a patronymic suffix, not a plural. Its parent name is Jacob, which English took from Latin Iacobus and Greek Iakobos, from Hebrew Ya'aqov (יַעֲקֹב). The Hebrew name is traditionally connected to 'aqev ("heel") and explained as "he grasps the heel" or "supplanter," referring to the biblical account of Jacob gripping his twin Esau's heel at birth. That is a customary interpretation rather than a settled derivation; the deeper origin of the Hebrew name remains uncertain.
Jacobs Name History & Origins
The parent name Jacob has been common in Christian Europe since the Middle Ages, carried by the biblical patriarch and by the apostle whose Latin name was Iacobus (rendered James in English). Patronymic surnames formed with -s to mean "son of" appeared in England from roughly the 13th and 14th centuries, producing names such as Williams and Roberts; Jacobs follows that pattern. The same formation is well established in Dutch, where Jacobs and the fuller Jacobsz identified a man as Jacob's son. In English, Dutch, and other European traditions, Jacobs was also used by Jewish families among the patronymic surnames they bore.
Jacobs is far more common as a surname than as a first name. Where it is used as a given name, it is generally a transferred use of the family name rather than an independent development of the Hebrew personal name.
How Popular is the Name Jacobs?
Jacobs 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 #5,780 in 1983.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | #10,160 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #13,052 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #11,236 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #10,071 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #7,397 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #11,259 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #9,605 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,416 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,969 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #6,826 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #6,039 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #7,162 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #5,780 | 6 | 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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with J
How the Name Jacobs 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 seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Jacobs's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jacobs's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.