Jacques Boy

Popularity: #858 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: zhahk //ʒɑk//

Origin: French; Hebrew

Meaning: French: supplanter; Hebrew: God will protect

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jacques is of French origin, derived from the Latin name Iacobus, which itself comes from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (Jacob). The transition from Hebrew to Latin occurred through the Greek form Iakobos, which was used in the New Testament.

The name Jacob has the literal meaning of "supplanter" or "holder of the heel," referencing the biblical figure Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, who is a significant patriarch in Judeo-Christian traditions. The name Jacques emerged in the medieval period as the French equivalent of Jacob, becoming widely used in France and its territories.

Historically, Jacques has been borne by numerous notable figures, including kings and saints. One of the most prominent was Saint Jacques (Saint James), who is venerated in both Christianity and Islam.

The name gained further prominence during the Middle Ages, particularly in the context of the Crusades, where Saint James was seen as a protector of pilgrims. The name's association with royalty is exemplified by Jacques I of Scotland, who ruled in the early 15th century, and Jacques II, who reigned in the late 17th century.

The name was also popularized through literary works, such as Shakespeare's "As You Like It," where the character Jacques appears. Culturally, Jacques has been associated with various symbolic meanings, including wisdom and leadership, reflecting the qualities of its biblical namesake.

The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Jacques' variant, Jack, which has its own rich history in English literature and folklore. The enduring nature of Jacques in French-speaking cultures can be attributed to its deep historical roots and the significant figures who have carried the name through the centuries.

Famous people named Jacques

In this section, you will find notable people named Jacques. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jacques who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jacques who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Jacques Cousteau is an explorer and filmmaker best known for The Silent World, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, and his work in marine conservation.

Jacques Derrida is a philosopher best known for developing deconstruction and his works Writing and Difference, Of Grammatology, and Specters of Marx.

Jacques Tati is a filmmaker and actor best known for Mon Oncle, Playtime, and Mr. Hulot's Holiday.

Jacques Brel is a singer-songwriter best known for Ne Me Quitte Pas, Amsterdam, and Quand On N'a Que L'amour.

Jacques Lacan is a psychoanalyst best known for his theories on the unconscious and his work in psychoanalysis and philosophy.

Fictional characters named Jacques

The following list of fictional characters named Jacques is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Jacques is a fictional character from the play 'The Merchant of Venice' by William Shakespeare. He is a melancholic and philosophical character known for his famous speech about the seven ages of man.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jacques, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JeanPierreLucHenriMarieClaire

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jacques. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

JulesJulienJacquesonJasperJadonJaredJaxon

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jacques was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Jacques has ranked as high as #1722 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in New York, California, Louisiana, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Jacques has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jacques is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jacques was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jacques.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 80 80 0
2024 59 59 0
2023 56 56 0
2022 54 54 0
2021 62 62 0
2020 68 68 0
2019 67 67 0
2018 78 78 0
2017 67 67 0
2016 72 72 0
2015 90 90 0
2014 70 70 0
2013 73 73 0
2012 72 72 0
2011 88 88 0
2010 92 92 0
2009 89 89 0
2008 105 105 0
2007 90 90 0
2006 102 102 0
2005 103 103 0
2004 98 98 0
2003 110 110 0
2002 124 124 0
2001 136 131 5
2000 129 129 0
1999 123 123 0
1998 162 157 5
1997 162 156 6
1996 144 138 6
1995 155 149 6
1994 135 135 0
1993 158 151 7
1992 147 139 8
1991 168 154 14
1990 180 162 18
1989 150 136 14
1988 173 146 27
1987 153 137 16
1986 125 125 0
1985 152 144 8
1984 142 130 12
1983 114 114 0
1982 127 121 6
1981 146 138 8
1980 153 146 7
1979 135 126 9
1978 115 108 7
1977 113 108 5
1976 114 105 9
1975 121 116 5
1974 123 123 0
1973 158 158 0
1972 155 155 0
1971 162 154 8
1970 161 154 7
1969 176 170 6
1968 135 135 0
1967 101 101 0
1966 108 108 0
1965 126 126 0
1964 114 108 6
1963 139 139 0
1962 108 100 8
1961 126 126 0
1960 108 108 0
1959 106 106 0
1958 78 78 0
1957 98 98 0
1956 72 72 0
1955 89 89 0
1954 85 85 0
1953 79 79 0
1952 63 63 0
1951 73 73 0
1950 57 57 0
1949 56 56 0
1948 51 51 0
1947 67 67 0
1946 44 44 0
1945 37 37 0
1944 34 34 0
1943 31 31 0
1942 33 33 0
1941 20 20 0
1940 40 40 0
1939 28 28 0
1938 31 31 0
1937 30 30 0
1936 21 21 0
1935 29 29 0
1934 31 31 0
1933 34 34 0
1932 28 28 0
1931 38 38 0
1930 37 37 0
1929 33 33 0
1928 37 37 0
1927 42 42 0
1926 33 33 0
1925 42 42 0
1924 52 52 0
1923 46 46 0
1922 44 44 0
1921 43 43 0
1920 46 46 0
1919 38 38 0
1918 38 38 0
1917 23 23 0
1916 22 22 0
1915 26 26 0
1914 20 20 0
1913 12 12 0
1912 15 15 0
1911 10 10 0
1905 6 6 0
1900 8 8 0
1898 7 7 0
1895 7 7 0
1888 6 6 0

Top States for Jacques (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
LA 10
42%
FL 8
33%
CA 6
25%