How Many People Are Named Jacob?
Complete statistics for the name Jacob: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Jacob, a name with roots in Hebrew, is surprisingly common, with 923,238 people bearing it in the U.S., which means 1 in 357 Americans share this name. That's a lot of Jakes!
📖 Meaning & Origin
Traditionally, the life-path number 4 symbolizes stability, hard work, and practicality.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 29All 983,841 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1998Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Jacob Through the Generations
Over the decades, Jacob has seen its popularity rise and fall, peaking in 1998 with 36,087 births. Today, the majority of people named Jacob are under 30, indicating it's a name embraced by younger generations. With 582,772 under-30s, it's clear Jacob remains a trendy choice.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Jacob
Jacob is a common masculine given name of Hebrew origin. The English form is derived from the Latin Iacobus, from the Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iakobos), ultimately from the Hebrew יַעֲקֹב, the name of Jacob, biblical patriarch of the Israelites, and a major figure in the Abrahamic religions. The name comes either from the Hebrew root עקב ʿqb meaning "to follow, to be behind" but also "to supplant, circumvent, assail, overreach", or from the word for "heel", עֲקֵב ʿakeb. The prefix "ya-" and the internal vowel "-o-" typically indicate a masculine third-person singular imperfective form in Hebrew, suggest…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Jacob's Hebrew roots
📄 About the Name Jacob
How Many People Have the Name Jacob?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 25,360 people in the United States currently share the name Jacob. That works out to roughly 1 in every 13,070 Americans, placing it in the Rare category.
Is Jacob a Common or Rare Name?
Jacob is classified as Rare. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Jacob Mean?
Jacob means "supplanter" and comes from Hebrew origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 4.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Jacob in SSA data, approximately 100% are male and 0% are female.
When Was Jacob Most Popular?
The name Jacob reached peak popularity in 1998, with 36,087 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Jacob?
Approximately 25,360 people named Jacob live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 25,360. That works out to roughly 1 in 13,070 Americans.
Is Jacob a rare name?
Jacob is classified as Rare in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 13,070 Americans has this name.
What does the name Jacob mean?
Jacob means "supplanter" and comes from Hebrew origins.
Is Jacob more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 100% of people named Jacob are male and 0% are female.
When was Jacob most popular?
Jacob peaked in 1998 with 36,087 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.