James
Boy name · 35,631 babies recorded · 1974–2025
James: 35,631 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 1,202 births in 1974.
A classic that has never left the top ten, James comes from the Hebrew Ya'aqov, meaning "supplanter," and reached Scotland through the Latin Iacomus. It is a name of kings: James VI of Scotland united the crowns with England, while scientific legend James Clerk Maxwell revolutionised physics. The name also travelled across the Atlantic to Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America. In Scotland you will find the Gaelic form Hamish, and the name remains a steadfast favourite—consistently one of the most popular boys' names since records began in 1974.
Boy 52 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 19741,202 babies
- Latest (2025)
- #14199 babies
- Total births
- 35,631since 1974
- 5-year trend
- ▼ 36%vs prior 5y