James
#2,859 for girls in 2025, 59 births · #6 for boys in 2025, 11,945 births
Given to boys 99.5% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1947 · 94,767 births
- Debut · boys
- 5,927 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 146 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 5,250,638since 1880
James over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #2,859 | 59 | #6 | 11,945 |
| 2024 | #2,585 | 68 | #5 | 11,856 |
| 2023 | #2,314 | 79 | #4 | 11,739 |
| 2022 | #2,208 | 85 | #4 | 12,119 |
| 2021 | #2,558 | 68 | #5 | 12,474 |
| 2020 | #2,580 | 66 | #6 | 12,390 |
| 2019 | #2,561 | 68 | #6 | 13,198 |
| 2018 | #3,438 | 45 | #4 | 13,650 |
| 2017 | #2,357 | 77 | #4 | 14,362 |
| 2016 | #2,617 | 67 | #5 | 14,920 |
| 2015 | #3,842 | 39 | #7 | 14,865 |
| 2014 | #3,652 | 42 | #9 | 14,464 |
| 2013 | #4,887 | 28 | #13 | 13,596 |
| 2012 | #4,957 | 28 | #14 | 13,458 |
| 2011 | #4,681 | 30 | #17 | 13,275 |
| 2010 | #4,735 | 30 | #19 | 13,901 |
| 2009 | #3,252 | 51 | #18 | 14,223 |
| 2008 | #4,647 | 32 | #17 | 15,190 |
| 2007 | #4,475 | 33 | #15 | 15,973 |
| 2006 | #3,469 | 46 | #16 | 16,255 |
| 2005 | #4,958 | 26 | #17 | 16,140 |
| 2004 | #1,962 | 95 | #18 | 16,469 |
| 2003 | #3,946 | 34 | #18 | 16,896 |
| 2002 | #4,071 | 31 | #18 | 16,968 |
| 2001 | #3,256 | 42 | #19 | 17,074 |
| 2000 | #3,334 | 40 | #18 | 17,991 |
| 1999 | #3,188 | 40 | #19 | 18,555 |
| 1998 | #2,889 | 45 | #18 | 19,690 |
| 1997 | #2,874 | 42 | #17 | 20,408 |
| 1996 | #2,177 | 62 | #17 | 21,165 |
| 1995 | #2,309 | 57 | #17 | 22,739 |
| 1994 | #2,059 | 67 | #14 | 24,778 |
| 1993 | #1,882 | 75 | #14 | 26,259 |
| 1992 | #1,965 | 70 | #9 | 28,513 |
| 1991 | #1,599 | 95 | #7 | 30,514 |
| 1990 | #1,372 | 115 | #8 | 32,359 |
| 1989 | #982 | 176 | #9 | 32,720 |
| 1988 | #767 | 244 | #9 | 32,523 |
| 1987 | #733 | 246 | #8 | 32,659 |
| 1986 | #670 | 273 | #7 | 34,057 |
| 1985 | #644 | 287 | #7 | 35,862 |
| 1984 | #698 | 238 | #7 | 35,859 |
| 1983 | #618 | 282 | #6 | 36,342 |
| 1982 | #577 | 317 | #6 | 38,874 |
| 1981 | #651 | 272 | #7 | 38,283 |
| 1980 | #663 | 271 | #5 | 39,312 |
| 1979 | #666 | 261 | #5 | 39,351 |
| 1978 | #624 | 269 | #5 | 39,894 |
| 1977 | #616 | 273 | #5 | 40,040 |
| 1976 | #620 | 252 | #5 | 38,294 |
| 1975 | #620 | 254 | #4 | 39,569 |
| 1974 | #623 | 250 | #5 | 41,334 |
| 1973 | #531 | 316 | #4 | 42,836 |
| 1972 | #556 | 300 | #3 | 47,063 |
| 1971 | #579 | 302 | #2 | 54,597 |
| 1970 | #536 | 353 | #2 | 61,735 |
| 1969 | #543 | 329 | #3 | 59,886 |
| 1968 | #547 | 312 | #4 | 60,665 |
| 1967 | #534 | 310 | #3 | 61,683 |
| 1966 | #547 | 298 | #3 | 65,163 |
| 1965 | #544 | 303 | #4 | 67,666 |
| 1964 | #554 | 318 | #4 | 73,026 |
| 1963 | #548 | 311 | #4 | 71,294 |
| 1962 | #621 | 262 | #4 | 72,555 |
| 1961 | #600 | 282 | #4 | 75,969 |
| 1960 | #578 | 291 | #3 | 76,815 |
| 1959 | #571 | 294 | #3 | 78,648 |
| 1958 | #621 | 252 | #3 | 78,774 |
| 1957 | #578 | 279 | #2 | 84,337 |
| 1956 | #608 | 248 | #2 | 84,897 |
| 1955 | #591 | 243 | #3 | 84,186 |
| 1954 | #604 | 225 | #3 | 86,311 |
| 1953 | #573 | 236 | #2 | 86,066 |
| 1952 | #529 | 258 | #1 | 87,065 |
| 1951 | #517 | 256 | #1 | 87,256 |
| 1950 | #513 | 252 | #1 | 86,228 |
| 1949 | #506 | 257 | #1 | 86,858 |
| 1948 | #521 | 251 | #1 | 88,605 |
| 1947 | #516 | 257 | #1 | 94,767 |
| 1946 | #492 | 250 | #1 | 87,438 |
| 1945 | #454 | 247 | #1 | 74,464 |
| 1944 | #467 | 237 | #1 | 76,951 |
| 1943 | #452 | 272 | #1 | 80,278 |
| 1942 | #433 | 280 | #1 | 77,182 |
| 1941 | #428 | 256 | #1 | 66,751 |
| 1940 | #424 | 259 | #1 | 62,481 |
| 1939 | #411 | 268 | #2 | 59,636 |
| 1938 | #402 | 275 | #2 | 59,102 |
| 1937 | #409 | 251 | #2 | 56,561 |
| 1936 | #428 | 229 | #2 | 54,694 |
| 1935 | #419 | 238 | #2 | 55,005 |
| 1934 | #403 | 262 | #2 | 54,270 |
| 1933 | #368 | 299 | #2 | 51,112 |
| 1932 | #355 | 320 | #2 | 51,930 |
| 1931 | #344 | 345 | #2 | 51,212 |
| 1930 | #323 | 419 | #2 | 53,957 |
| 1929 | #325 | 397 | #2 | 52,135 |
| 1928 | #319 | 427 | #3 | 52,752 |
| 1927 | #338 | 390 | #3 | 53,674 |
| 1926 | #352 | 358 | #3 | 53,196 |
| 1925 | #357 | 365 | #4 | 52,680 |
| 1924 | #425 | 274 | #4 | 52,942 |
| 1923 | #400 | 280 | #4 | 50,462 |
| 1922 | #430 | 239 | #4 | 49,802 |
| 1921 | #455 | 231 | #4 | 49,750 |
| 1920 | #423 | 249 | #4 | 47,908 |
| 1919 | #482 | 192 | #3 | 42,392 |
| 1918 | #459 | 212 | #3 | 42,115 |
| 1917 | #486 | 182 | #3 | 37,337 |
| 1916 | #506 | 166 | #3 | 35,569 |
| 1915 | #494 | 155 | #3 | 33,773 |
| 1914 | #540 | 107 | #3 | 26,262 |
| 1913 | #522 | 95 | #3 | 20,832 |
| 1912 | #544 | 81 | #3 | 17,644 |
| 1911 | #496 | 69 | #3 | 9,952 |
| 1910 | #517 | 63 | #2 | 9,194 |
| 1909 | #522 | 52 | #3 | 7,595 |
| 1908 | #678 | 32 | #3 | 7,012 |
| 1907 | #535 | 45 | #3 | 6,707 |
| 1906 | #578 | 37 | #3 | 5,908 |
| 1905 | #587 | 35 | #3 | 6,042 |
| 1904 | #668 | 27 | #3 | 5,855 |
| 1903 | #628 | 28 | #3 | 5,479 |
| 1902 | #600 | 30 | #3 | 5,592 |
| 1901 | #559 | 30 | #3 | 4,735 |
| 1900 | #524 | 41 | #3 | 7,245 |
| 1899 | #593 | 27 | #3 | 4,597 |
| 1898 | #597 | 29 | #3 | 5,321 |
| 1897 | #537 | 30 | #3 | 5,113 |
| 1896 | #576 | 28 | #3 | 5,206 |
| 1895 | #499 | 34 | #3 | 5,335 |
| 1894 | #586 | 25 | #3 | 5,110 |
| 1893 | #594 | 23 | #3 | 5,030 |
| 1892 | #590 | 22 | #3 | 5,398 |
| 1891 | #457 | 31 | #3 | 4,516 |
| 1890 | #446 | 33 | #3 | 5,097 |
| 1889 | #486 | 26 | #3 | 5,020 |
| 1888 | #356 | 45 | #3 | 5,562 |
| 1887 | #512 | 19 | #3 | 4,767 |
| 1886 | #400 | 29 | #3 | 5,355 |
| 1885 | #405 | 26 | #3 | 5,175 |
| 1884 | #341 | 33 | #3 | 5,693 |
| 1883 | #366 | 25 | #3 | 5,223 |
| 1882 | #431 | 18 | #3 | 5,892 |
| 1881 | #325 | 24 | #3 | 5,441 |
| 1880 | #342 | 22 | #3 | 5,927 |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, James was already there! It came in at #3, and was given to 5,927 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1899, when fewer than 6,000 boys a year got the name.
Where James is popular in 1978
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- South Carolina#1 · 1 in 24
- Mississippi#1 · 1 in 26
- Alabama#1 · 1 in 27
- Kentucky#2 · 1 in 23
- Tennessee#2 · 1 in 26
Best ever in a state: #1 in Washington, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | #1 | 962 | 1 in 27 |
| Mississippi | #1 | 722 | 1 in 26 |
| South Carolina | #1 | 847 | 1 in 24 |
| District of Columbia | #2 | 233 | 1 in 33 |
| Georgia | #2 | 1,326 | 1 in 28 |
| Kentucky | #2 | 1,183 | 1 in 23 |
| Tennessee | #2 | 1,252 | 1 in 26 |
| North Carolina | #3 | 1,334 | 1 in 28 |
| West Virginia | #3 | 570 | 1 in 24 |
| Arkansas | #4 | 538 | 1 in 27 |
| Florida | #4 | 1,528 | 1 in 33 |
| Louisiana | #4 | 802 | 1 in 41 |
| Maryland | #4 | 690 | 1 in 31 |
| Nevada | #4 | 126 | 1 in 33 |
| Oklahoma | #4 | 516 | 1 in 38 |
| Virginia | #4 | 1,084 | 1 in 30 |
| Wyoming | #4 | 97 | 1 in 33 |
| Delaware | #5 | 123 | 1 in 29 |
| Indiana | #5 | 1,018 | 1 in 39 |
| Missouri | #5 | 943 | 1 in 37 |
| Ohio | #5 | 2,169 | 1 in 36 |
| Texas | #5 | 2,724 | 1 in 42 |
| Alaska | #6 | 95 | 1 in 35 |
| Arizona | #6 | 403 | 1 in 47 |
| Colorado | #6 | 461 | 1 in 44 |
| Hawaii | #6 | 126 | 1 in 50 |
| Illinois | #6 | 1,874 | 1 in 42 |
| Michigan | #6 | 1,575 | 1 in 41 |
| California | #7 | 3,062 | 1 in 55 |
| Connecticut | #7 | 412 | 1 in 40 |
| Idaho | #7 | 180 | 1 in 44 |
| Maine | #7 | 163 | 1 in 42 |
| Massachusetts | #7 | 860 | 1 in 39 |
| Montana | #7 | 126 | 1 in 44 |
| New Hampshire | #7 | 124 | 1 in 44 |
| New Mexico | #7 | 208 | 1 in 49 |
| New York | #7 | 2,580 | 1 in 43 |
| Pennsylvania | #7 | 2,024 | 1 in 36 |
| Washington | #7 | 584 | 1 in 46 |
| Kansas | #8 | 353 | 1 in 44 |
| New Jersey | #8 | 1,053 | 1 in 39 |
| Oregon | #8 | 411 | 1 in 44 |
| Nebraska | #9 | 247 | 1 in 47 |
| Utah | #9 | 319 | 1 in 56 |
| Vermont | #9 | 63 | 1 in 45 |
| Iowa | #10 | 432 | 1 in 49 |
| Rhode Island | #10 | 126 | 1 in 41 |
| Wisconsin | #13 | 583 | 1 in 55 |
| North Dakota | #14 | 91 | 1 in 58 |
| Minnesota | #16 | 489 | 1 in 60 |
| South Dakota | #17 | 83 | 1 in 63 |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about James
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
- 1 spot since 2024 (#5 → #6)
- Same as 2020 (#6)
- 1 spot since 2015 (#7 → #6)
- Biggest jump: 4 spots in 2014 (#13 → #9)
- Biggest drop: 5 spots in 1993 (#9 → #14)
Rise & fade · boys
67 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1947 at #1 (94,767 births)
- Births halved by 1972, 25 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 125 yrs
- Top 10: 125 yrs · run 1880–1992
- Top 100: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 18
- Highest: 1 in 18 boys born in 1944 were named James (5.6%)
- Latest: 1 in 143 boys born in 2025 (0.70%)
- Its best rank, #1 in 1947, was only 1 in 19 (5.2%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
- 16.1% of all boys named James (843,768) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 54,055 | #3 (1880) | #3 |
| 1890s | 50,723 | #3 (1892) | #3 |
| 1900s | 62,170 | #3 (1909) | #3 |
| 1910s | 275,070 | #2 (1910) | #3 |
| 1920s | 515,301 | #2 (1929) | #4 |
| 1930s | 547,479 | #2 (1939) | #2 |
| 1940s | 795,775 | #1 (1947) | #1 |
| 1950s | 843,768 | #1 (1951) | #2 |
| 1960s | 684,722 | #3 (1960) | #4 |
| 1970s | 444,713 | #2 (1970) | #4 |
| 1980s | 356,491 | #5 (1980) | #7 |
| 1990s | 244,980 | #7 (1991) | #14 |
| 2000s | 163,179 | #15 (2007) | #17 |
| 2010s | 139,689 | #4 (2017) | #10 |
| 2020s | 72,523 | #4 (2022) | #5 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
James in 1978
girls
#624
269 births · 1 in 5,695 girls
boys
#5
39,894 births · 1 in 41 boys
Top girls' names in 1978
Top boys' names in 1978
More about 1978
girls
1,531,859 girls got a published name in 1978; 1 in 5,695 of them was named James, which outranked 94.6% of the 11,475 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
boys
1,641,837 boys got a published name in 1978; 1 in 41 of them was named James, which outranked 99.9% of the 6,762 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside James
Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.