Comments for JACOB:

I don't really like this name, and I wonder why it's so popular now... I would think that Michael would still be the number one name every year.

-- trayc53  4/20/2005

Properly speaking Jacob and Wilhem Grimm are not the "authors" of the Grimm fairy tales. I am not sure of the most correct noun... collectors, or compilers. Just to be punctilious.

-- Deucalion33  6/30/2005

I still think it's an interesting name. Yes, it is as common as the name Emily, but I still think this name is interesting. It's also the middle name of actor Daniel Radcliffe.

-- Tbird  7/17/2005

Although the correct English pronunciation of the name is Jay-kob, from my travels in Denmark where this is a very popular name it would be pronounced Ya-cob. As far as I know the J is always a Y sound in Danish.

-- BKelley  7/26/2005

My husband is of Dutch heritage and has a grandfather Jacobus. That is also our oldest son's given name. It is also my understanding that the "J" is pronounced as a "Y" in The Nederlands. He goes by Kobus.

-- Anonymous User  8/11/2005

Jacob is also Biblical. He was the son of Isaac, brother of Esau, and father of twelve patriarchs of Israel. Jacob wrestled with God and forced God to bless him, so God gave Jacob the new name of Israel (meaning 'one who has been strong against God').

-- Tbird  9/5/2005

I didn't have a good experience with a boy named Jacob, but that doesn't mean I absolutely hate the name, it just sounds funny when you say it. Kinda rolls off the tongue in a weird way.

-- misslucy2u2007  9/17/2005

A cute nickname is "Cubby".

-- kassi42  10/7/2005

The act of holding a heel is a Hebrew symobl for deception. Thus, the word Jacob has also been associated with deception.

-- joluha  10/11/2005

The true meaning of Jacob is deceiver and God changed his name to Israel which means Prince of God.

-- Miss Es  11/21/2005

There are now many Biblical scholars who don't accept the derivation of Jacob from "heel" or "supplanter" but believe that is a folk etymology created for the Biblical story, with the real original meaning of Jacob going back to Semitic roots meaning "may God protect." [noted -ed]

For some references to the above interpretation see:
http://www.hope.edu/bandstra/RTOT/CH2/CH2_2A.HTM
http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/genesis/genesis25.htm
http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/OTeSources/01-Genesis/Text/Articles-Books/Ross_JacobPeniel_BSac.htm.

-- clevelandkentevans  3/19/2006

Jacob is a nice, strong biblical name. My friend's son's name is Jacob. It is very popular right now, almost too much.

-- Anonymous User  4/26/2006

A famous bearer of the name Jacob is Jacob 'Jake' Gyllenhaal who starred in films such as 'Donnie Darko', 'The Day After Tomorrow' and most recently, 'Brokeback Mountain'.

-- SophieMaria  4/29/2006

The over-popularity of this name just makes it boring. Caleb sounds fresher.

-- Anonymous User  5/5/2006

Jacob is a common name but it's very masculine. I love the name because of the nickname "Jake". Michael has been the most popular mame for many years and now it's Jacob's turn.

-- kaycee  5/14/2006

Rodney Dangerfield's birth name was Jacob Cohen.

-- breakofday  5/15/2006

Jacob is a great name, short and strong.

-- rnovluv  6/30/2006

I think Jacob sounds more grown up than Jake.

-- Anonymous User  7/1/2006

Jacob Marley was the business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol.' At the time of the story, he has been dead for seven years.

-- Anonymous User  7/20/2006

Jacob is a major character in the book New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. He's a friend of the main character and turns out to be a werewolf.

-- Anonymous User  8/18/2006

Cob is also biblical, which is a plus. Daniel Jacob is a good combo.

-- Emma McHnery  8/31/2006

I like the name Jacob. That's the name of my Husband. He likes to be called Jacob or Jake. He doesn't care either way. But it's a historical name and he likes it.

-- Tito82  10/10/2006

Listen to the German pronunciation of Jacob here:
http://www.nordicnames.de/Aussprache.html

-- _satu_  10/24/2006

Every young boy I meet seems to bear this name, but there are surpisingly few in my high school, given the popularity of the name in the late eighties/early nineties.

-- Anonymous User  11/22/2006

What a wonderful name. Makes me think of someone who is very handsome!

-- cleopatraVII  12/21/2006

Very cute name.

-- Barking Spider  12/21/2006

A famous bearer is Jacob Brent. He is a broadway dancer and starred in CATS (on Broadway, in London, and in CATS video). He's also done Starlight Express and other little shows. Now, he choreographs and even directs shows.

-- QuaxosBlackCatMagic  3/12/2007

I love Jacob despite how everyone says it is so popular. I have only actually ever met two though in my life. It is in the running as my favorite name with Joshua and Elijah.

-- Jassie  5/7/2007

It IS popular--it's been NUMBER ONE for seven years and within the top 10 for the last ten years. The reason you don't know many is probably because it wasn't insanely popular until recently and most of the people you know probably aren't young children.

-- Anonymous User  5/27/2007

I have to back up Jassie on this one. Although Jacob has indeed ranked high on popularity charts, I myself have never met one. That happens.

-- VictoriaCalledTori  7/25/2007

My husbands name and I love it. Even though it is overly popular at the moment doesn't keep me from liking it. I will possibly use this name as a middle name if I ever have a future son.

-- EgYpTiAn PrInCeSs  7/14/2007

Jacob Davis was the inventor of riveted denim jeans but Levi Strauss bought the patent from him.

-- Anonymous User  7/25/2007

I love the name Jacob even though it's so popular.

-- Anonymous User  9/11/2007

Jacob is favored by parents who want their kids to be called "Jake", like some old fashioned detective. Lame name. Too Jewish anyway.

-- johann14  9/25/2007

Jonathan Jacob Walker is Panic! At The Disco's bassist.

-- Ryx3  10/2/2007

Pronounced YAH-kopp in German.

-- KateB  12/7/2007

This name wasn't so popular when I got it. Now, I'll be somewhere like the store and some parent yells at their little kid when he gets in trouble "JACOB!", and my first thought is they're yelling at me. Took a little while to get used to. And I don't know why some people think this name is too Jewish. I've never met another Jacob who was Jewish. And I get asked if I'm Jewish all the time, because I also have a Polish last name, and some people mistakenly think of Polish names as Jewish.

-- jake13  1/27/2008

I found it quite odd when I first saw the list of most popular names. My first name, Jacob, was first. My middle name, Michael, was second. I also must agree that whenever someone is yelling at another Jacob, I think they're yelling at me.

-- Anonymous User  3/8/2008

It's a nice name that ages pretty well. My brother's name is Jacob and he always goes by Jake, which is a great nickname.

-- Anonymous User  3/10/2008

This is one of the safest name choices you could possibly make, as you can't really go wrong with Jacob. It's the type of name that suits all sorts of guys: young, old, good-looking, and fat and ugly. Jake is an okay nickname, but of the guy doesn't like that, he can go by Jay alone. And hey, it's only two syllables. Seeings as this is such a safe choice and a timeless classic, the name is, naturally, overused and stale, but at least it's very unproblematic.

-- slight night shiver  6/6/2008

Pronounced "zhah-KAWB" in French.

-- Senko  6/15/2008

Number one for boys in 2005.

-- Patricia Underwood  7/10/2008

I like this name a lot. And although it's supposed to be popular, I've only ever come across one Jacob. I like it far better than Jason.

-- alyce  7/14/2008

Jacob Hannekroot is the antagonist of Susan Runholt's "The Mystery of the Third Lucretia". He is hideous but fascinating.

-- EmilyOlive  7/18/2008

Jacob Hoggard, former Canadian Idol contestant and lead singer of the band Hedley.

-- Anonymous User  7/24/2008

Jacob Black appears in every book of the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer.

-- Glamorous  8/3/2008

Famous bearer Jacob Himes the American artist.

-- Anonymous User  9/19/2008

Yaqoob in Arabic (Ya-qoob).

-- Anonymous User  11/18/2008

My son was almost called Jacob until we learned how popular Jacob is. I still love the name, but didn't want a really common name for my son. I also really like Jake as a nickname.

-- Anonymous User  11/25/2008

My name is Jacob and I love my name! What a lasting peace that will live on.

-- NASCAR MAN 14  11/28/2008

I like this name. It rolls off the tongue kinda weird. The B sound at the end is kinda a turn off for me.

-- D.Scott  12/3/2008

My best friend's name is Jacob. And it kinda just suits him. It's definitely a boy-ish name. Though, I don't like the nickname Jake for it. It's purpose is definitely masculinity.

-- Anonymous User  1/11/2009

I like this name, although I know like 5 Jacobs. I think it's very classy for a boy/man, and it's easy to spell. (Unless you're the dingwad that spelled it "Jakob".) But I think I've heard WAY too many twins with this name. Jacob & Martin, Ben & Jake, Jacob & Jordan, and I don't know any more boy twins. Ha. But overall I do like this name.

-- baileymarissa  2/6/2009

I don't like this name. It's way too common and I find it boring as well. Whenever I hear the name I think the parents must have been lazy because they couldn't think of anything more creative.

-- Anonymous User  7/11/2009

Pronounced YAH-kawp in Czech, Slovak, Polish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Slovene and Croatian.

-- MaggieSimpson  11/21/2009

Key: Meaning/History Usage Pronunciation Famous Bearer Personal Impression Other

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