Comments for the name 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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').

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.

A cute nickname is "Cubby".

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

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

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.

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

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'.

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

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.

Rodney Dangerfield's birth name was Jacob Cohen.

Jacob is a great name, short and strong.

I think Jacob sounds more grown up than Jake.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Very cute name.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Pronounced YAH-kopp in German.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pronounced "zhah-KAWB" in French.

Number one for boys in 2005.

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.

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

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

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

Famous bearer Jacob Himes the American artist.

Yaqoob in Arabic (Ya-qoob).

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Ho hum. Boring, average and devoid of personality. And obscenely common. There's three Jacob's and one Jake in my daughters' daycare. Hopefully people will tire of it soon.

A bit dull and boring, but I like this, I would name my kid this.

This is a great and smart choice for a name. Popularity of names matter 0% to me. All I care about how great a name it is.

Jacob both in Usage & Pronunciation
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: hah-KO-b (Spanish)

No wonder this name is so popular - it's handsome, manly, versatile and the -b ending makes it sound unusual and yet easy to fit a second name to.

Criminally overused. Most of the Jakes I've met throughout my life haven't been bad people, though. But it's nothing spectacular. Just a safe choice.

This is the name of a character shrouded in mystery in the hit television show LOST.

This is the middle name of Actor Daniel Radcliffe.

I used to absolutely ADORE the name Jacob, and I still like it, but it's not my absolute favorite anymore. But it's still really nice.

I like this name. It is very common though. I like that you can shorten it to Jake.

Another one of those awesome-but-sadly-popular names. Really, I like it, I think it's a great name, but twenty percent of the males I know are named Jacob, and that's in one tiny town alone!

Jacob is a fine choice, personally. However, I must say that a certain book has greatly destroyed it and its meaning, as well as popularity-wise. I believe my liking for it started when I had a dream, of which there was a character in it named Jacob (Jake). I certainly am not very fresh on the dream. But I remember he was a good guy with morals.
If someone wishes to name their child Jacob, my vote is that they choose a different variation from a separate language, to give some individuality. Perhaps the Italian: Jacopo, for instance.

Nice name, but too many baby boys are being named Jacob today. It has been #1 for almost 8 years.

I like this name, but it's so freaking popular. XP

I love love love this name, I don't really care that it is sooooo popular, it is a fabulous name!

Jacob Lusk is a contestant on American Idol season 10.

Jacob-Sigisbert Adam (1670-1747) was a French Sculptor. His sons were François-Gaspard, Nicolas-Sébastien and Lambert-Sigisbert.

Jacob is a kid's name. I can't imagine it on an older man.

This is one of the few uber popular names that I actually like. I know quite a few Jacobs of all ages, and the name suits all of them. I'd probably use it as a middle name.

Jacob Adriaensz Backer (1608-1651) was a Dutch portrait and history painter famous for 'Portrait of a Boy in Grey'.

Jacob Burckhardt (Carl Jacob Christoph Burckhardt) (1818-1897) was a Swiss historian, professor at the universities of Zurich and Basle.

Jacob van Campen (1595-1657) was a Dutch architect and painter.

Yes, it's outrageously popular but that doesn't automatically make a name good or bad. Jacob ages well, isn't trendy or "dated" it could fit any type of guy. I understand if you just don't like the sound of this name for whatever reason, but "It's popular" isn't a very good reason to me. I doubt that I would ever consider Jacob for my actual child, but I like it just fine. There are worse things you could be naming your kid, really. But maybe I'm just partial to Jacob because I like Jake so much.

Common, but nice name. The nickname Jake is also nice.

I am sick of this name. Jake and Jacob are EVERYWHERE.

Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal (born 1980 in Los Angeles, California) is an American actor. He is the brother of actress Margaret Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal.

Jacob Akiba Marinsky (born 1918 in Buffalo, New York) was an American chemist who was the co-discoverer of the element promethium.

This name is everywhere. There is a floor at my university that has four Jacobs. It is so common its sickening.