Best 100 Middle Names For James in 2023
James is a biblical name that has remained a popular choice for parents over the years. With notable Kings and six American presidents donning the name James, it’s easy to see why this classic name has been a top pick.
If you’re considering naming your son James, we’ve gathered a list of our favorite middle names for James below.
Meaning of the Name James
The history of the name James is interesting. Originally the name started in the English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, then a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, and finally derived from the Hebrew name for Jacob (Ya’aqov).
Therefore, James comes from the Hebrew name Jacob and they both mean “supplanter.”
| Origin | Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | jay-mz |
Best Middle Names for James
James pairs well with a variety of middle names. It was hard to narrow down our favorites, but here are the best middle names for James.
- James Aaron
- James Adam
- James Alexander
- James Anderson
- James Andrew
- James Asher
- James Augustus
- James Benedict
- James Benjamin
- James Blake
- James Callum
- James Camden
- James Cavanaugh
- James Christopher
- James Clyde
- James Cole
- James Conner
- James Conrad
- James Cooper
- James Dallas
- James Dane
- James Daniel
- James David
- James Declan
- James Dominic
- James Dylan
- James Earl
- James Edmond
- James Elliot
- James Emmett
- James Evan
- James Everett
- James Finn
- James Flynn
- James Frederick
- James Gabriel
- James Gray
- James Gregory
- James Gunnar
- James Harrison
- James Harvey
- James Hayes
- James Henry
- James Hugo
- James Hunter
- James Jett
- James Kai
- James Knox
- James Krew
- James Leon
- James Leonard
- James Leonardo
- James Levi
- James Louis
- James Martin
- James Mason
- James Matthew
- James Maximillian
- James Michael
- James Milo
- James Mitchell
- James Montgomery
- James Nathan
- James Nicholas
- James Nolan
- James Oliver
- James Ollie
- James Owen
- James Parker
- James Patrick
- James Phillip
- James Potter
- James Quinten
- James Raymond
- James Reese
- James Rhett
- James Riley
- James Robert
- James Roman
- James Ronan
- James Rupert
- James Ryan
- James Samuel
- James Sebastian
- James Spencer
- James Tatum
- James Taylor
- James Theodore
- James Thomas
- James Timothy
- James Tucker
- James Vincent
- James Wade
- James Walker
- James Walter
- James Wells
- James Wesley
- James William
- James Wyatt
- James Zachary
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How To Pick a Middle Name
Do You Need A Middle Name?
In short, no. You do not need to give your child a middle name. You can choose to only give your child a first name and last name. There are no laws or requirements in regard to middle names.
However, according to research in the European Journal of Social Psychology, using middle initials in your name increases people’s perception of your intelligence.
Providing your child with a middle name will help differentiate them from others who share their same name. It also gives them a second option. Some children choose to go by their middle names instead of their first names as they grow older.
We all know how important it is to find the perfect name for our children. But did you know that in some cultures, middle names can be used as a way to give your child an additional identity? A new connection with their family history or heritage.
Here we will explore the things you should consider when giving your children a middle name!
Family Names
A child’s middle name is a great way to honor a beloved family member. It could be someone who has passed or a living family member who means a lot to the parents. Middle names don’t need to be gender-specific, so this could be a good place to include male or female family members.
Some parents like to include family surnames, such as the mother’s maiden name, as a middle name. This allows both sides of the family to pass down their name to the child. Any name that is meaningful to the family can make a nice middle name.
Flow and Initials
Probably the most important thing parents think of when choosing their child’s name is how it all sounds together. The first, middle, and last name should flow nicely together.
Many popular middle names are short, one or two syllable names because they pair well with most first names.
If family members speak another language or have an accent, take into consideration how everyone will be pronouncing the names when determining how they fit together
Monograms are popular in Southern culture, but it is still helpful to consider your child’s initials regardless of where you live.
Monograms for women are typically in the order of first name initial, large last name initial, and then middle name initial.
For men, the initials are usually in order of first, middle, and then last name. Avoid spelling out unfortunate words with the initials.
Middle names and their initials can also be used for nicknames. For example, Mary Elizabeth can be shortened to Mary Beth. Or, Elizabeth Zoe can be shortened to the initials E. Z. As a nickname.
If you just can’t narrow it down to a first name and a middle name, you can always include multiple middle names. In the United States, most people only have one middle name, but it is common around the world to have two or more.
It is recommended not to add too many middle names though. Most paperwork only leaves a spot for a single middle name or initial and multiple names can lead to confusion.
Special Meanings
A child’s middle name is a great way to pay homage to anything that holds special meaning to the parents. Some inspiration for names includes:
- Influential people in your life
- Characters from books, movies, or television
- Locations hold memories
- Languages that are important to the family
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First Name for Middle Name James
If you’re considering James as a middle name, we’ve put together a list of great first name options to consider.
- Aaron James
- Aiden James
- Albie James
- Alec James
- Alfie James
- Blake James
- Brody James
- Cameron James
- Carter James
- Charles James
- Christopher James
- Colby James
- Conrad James
- Cooper James
- Deacon James
- Dexter James
- Dominic James
- Dylan James
- Edward James
- Ellis James
- Frankie James
- Frederick James
- Harrison James
- Hunter James
- Issac James
- Jackson James
- Jacoby James
- Jeremy James
- Jordan James
- Kyle James
- Lachlan James
- Leo James
- Lucas James
- Mason James
- Matthew James
- Michael James
- Nathaniel James
- Oliver James
- Oscar James
- Peter James
- Ralph James
- Riley James
- Rocco James
- Rupert James
- Theo James
- Tobias James
- Todd James
- Vincent James
- William James
- Zachary James
Nicknames for James
- Jack
- Jamesie
- Jamie
- Jay
- Jem
- Jim
- Jimbo
- Jimmy
- JJ
- John
Variations of James
- (Biblical Hebrew) Yaakov
- (Croatian) Jakov, Jakob, Jakša
- (Czech) Jakub
- (Danish) Ib, Jacob, Jakob, Jeppe, Jim, Jimmy
- (Dutch) Jacob, Jacobus, Jakob, Jaco, Jacco, Cobus, Coos, Jaap, Kobe, Kobus, Koos, Sjaak, Sjakie
- (Finnish) Jaakob, Jaakoppi, Jaakko, Jaska, Jimi
- (German) Jakob, Jakobus, Jeckel, Jäckel, Köbes, Jackl, Köbi
- (Hawaiian) Kimo, Iakopo
- (Late Roman) Iacomus
- (Latin) Iacobus, Iacomus, Didacus
- (Polish) Jakub, Kuba, Kubuś
- (Portuguese) Jacó, Jacob, Jaime, Iago, Tiago, Thiago, Diogo, Diego, Santiago, Jaqueline (feminine)
- (Spanish) Jaime, Jacobo, Yago, Tiago, Santiago, Jacoba (feminine), Jacob
- (Turkish) Yakup, Yakub
Names Similar to James
- Alexander
- Andrew
- Benjamin
- Charles
- Christopher
- Henry
- Jack
- John
- Joshua
- Liam
- Theodore
- Thomas
- Wesley
- William
- Wyatt
Sibling Boy Names that go with James
- James and Arthur
- James and Benjamin
- James and Caleb
- James and Charles
- James and Christopher
- James and Collin
- James and Daniel
- James and David
- James and Edward
- James and Elliott
- James and George
- James and Henry
- James and Luke
- James and Matthew
- James and Michael
- James and Nathan
- James and Noah
- James and Oliver
- James and Peter
- James and Samuel
- James and Theodore
- James and Thomas
- James and Timothy
- James and Wyatt
- James and Zachary
Sibling Girl Names that go with James
- James and Abigail
- James and Alice
- James and Amelia
- James and Anne
- James and Audrey
- James and Catherine
- James and Charlotte
- James and Clara
- James and Eleanor
- James and Elizabeth
- James and Emma
- James and Isabelle
- James and Julia
- James and Juliette
- James and Lucy
- James and Margaret
- James and Mary
- James and Natalie
- James and Nora
- James and Penelope
- James and Sophia
- James and Suzanne
- James and Victoria
- James and Virginia
- James and Willa
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History of the Name James
In the Bible, two of Jesus’ apostles were named James. The first was Saint James the Greater (apostle John’s brother) and the second was James the Lesser (son of Alphaeus). The Bible also makes mention of James the Just known as the brother of Jesus.
James also has a royal connotation. In Scotland James was borne by several Kings. During the 17th century King James inherited the English throne, popularizing the name.
James also has a royal connotation. In Scotland James was borne by several Kings. During the 17th century James II of England and Ireland became James VII as he inherited the English throne.
Since 1880, the name James has never ranked below the top 20 boys names in America. According to the Social Security Administration, the least popular years for James were from 1993 to 2013. In 2014, a renewed interest in the name spiked and currently James ranks as the 5th most popular boys name in 2021.
Famous People with the Name James
| James II and VII | Was King of England and Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII |
| James Adomian | American stand-up comedian known for work on the comedy Bang! Bang! |
| James Avery | Actor on television series Fresh Prince of Bel-Air |
| James L. Brooks | American director, producer, and screen writer known for television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show |
| James Brown | American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician and the central progenitor of funk music |
| James Buchanan | 15th president of the United States |
| James Caan | American actor in film The Glory Guys |
| James Cameron | Canadian film director known for directing the film The Terminator |
| James “Jimmy” Carter | 39th president of the United States |
| James Garfield | 20th president of the United States |
| James Holzhauer | American game show contestant and professional sports gambler |
| James Madison Jr. | Fourth president of the United States |
| James Monroe | Fifth president of the United States |
| James Knox Polk | 11th president of the United States |
| James Vernon Taylor | American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 |
Fictional Characters Named James
| James | Character in book James and the Giant Peach |
| James the Red Engine | Character on kids series Thomas the Train |
| James “Bucky” Barnes | A Marvel character |
| James Bond | Fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming |
| James Gordon | Character in Batman: The Animated Series |
| James T. Kirk | from In Living Color |
| James P. Sullivan | Character in Monsters Inc |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is James a girl’s name?
Traditionally, James is seen as a boy’s name. According to the Social Security Adminstration, the name James for a girl did rank on the popularity charts from 1900 to 1989 when it fizzled out. The most popular year was 1928, when James ranked 319th for a given girl’s name.
In 2014, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively chose to name their eldest daughter James. This started a new interest in the name James as a female given name, but it has yet to find its way back on the popular charts for girls.
How many presidents were named James?
There were six presidents named James, including James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield, and James “Jimmy” Carter.
Where does the name James come from?
James is derived from the name Jacob and they both mean “supplanter.”
Final Thoughts on Middle Names for James
The one syllable name James has stood the test of time as a classic biblical name parents are drawn to. Never ranking below 20 in popularity, we don’t see this name going anywhere anytime soon.
We hope our list of middle names for James is helpful!
MORE MIDDLE NAME IDEAS
Now that you’ve seen all the middle name ideas for James, you might want to check out some middle name ideas for these similar names!
- Middle Names for Alexander
- Middle Names for Arthur
- Middle Names for Charles
- Middle Names for Henry
- Middle Names for Theodore
- Middle Names for Thomas
If you’re looking for more middle name ideas, you can find all our lists in our Middle Names section.
For more baby name ideas and inspiration head over to our Baby Names section.
Krissy lives in California with her family of three that make up “The Hadicks.” With a passion for research and helping others, The Hadicks was developed as a resource for other parents and parents-to-be!