James is a distinctive girls' name in United States, ranking #2873 in 2025 with 59 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2004 with 95 births ranking #1964. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 27,242 girls born was named James. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
James is one of the great enduring classics of English naming. It belongs to the Jacob family and traditionally carries the same meaning usually glossed as "supplanter".
The name has been used continuously for centuries through biblical, royal, literary, and everyday family tradition. Its strength lies in sounding both substantial and effortlessly familiar.