Hubby and I have had so much trouble agreeing on a boys names (this seems common) and I’ve relaxed lots of the things I thought were necessary to me in the face of naming an actual human. He also changes his mind every 5 minutes and is being quite difficult. We’ve still got some time, but it was bothering me immensely that we didn’t have any boys names we both liked. All the names we both liked are already taken by family members, we both have large families that we are close with, which just makes it harder.
Today, he changed gears, again, and went looking at family names. He’d been committed to [name_m]Paul[/name_m] as a middle since we met, but has relented on that of his own accord. Today’s name of the day is [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Russell[/name_m], it’s the first time we’d discussed middles for real, and while I’m not in love with [name_m]Russell[/name_m], but it’s in the middle, so, fine. [name_u]James[/name_u] is in both my and his family, [name_m]Russell[/name_m] is his grandfather’s middle.
I do like [name_u]James[/name_u], but don’t like that it is “so common” or at least seems to be. In real life though, how often do people come across a baby [name_u]James[/name_u]? I feel like in baby announcements I see more Olivers and Theodores than I see [name_u]James[/name_u]'.
Overall in the United States, (if you’re in the US?) [name_u]James[/name_u] ranks #7, with 14,705 boys named [name_u]James[/name_u] in 2015. Still, that’s only 0.7% of boys born. I think what really matters is how many boys named [name_u]James[/name_u] you know in your community/group.
I know a bunch of males with [name_u]James[/name_u] as the middle name, but only one [name_u]James[/name_u] as a first. I really like it as a first name, and like PP said, it may be number 7 but popular names aren’t used as much anymore.
[name_u]James[/name_u] used to be my favorite boy name until my brother used it for my nephew. My nephew is the only young person I know with the name. Everyone else I know is in my parents’ generation, so in my community/friend group, it isn’t that popular. Like @-eagleeyes- said, it really depends on how popular it is in your community more so than how popular it is nationwide. It’s a great name, regardless.
It depends on your circle. I think part of the reason [name_u]James[/name_u] is holding onto its popularity is because of family tradition. Parents are giving their son [name_u]James[/name_u] as a first name after a family member and calling him by his middle name. I think the same is true of [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_m]John[/name_m], etc. I meet very few little boys being called by these names.
I know quite a few males named [name_u]James[/name_u], all of different age ranges. I know two very old men named [name_u]James[/name_u], five in my age group, and one little boy named [name_u]James[/name_u]. But, I still think its a lovely name.
[name_u]James[/name_u] has an enduring quality that never sounds tired/trendy to me, regardless of actual numbers. A true classic! I say go for it.
I think what may be generational is the nickname options. It seems like in the generation born in the fifties, most went by [name_m]Jim[/name_m]/[name_m]Jimmy[/name_m]. But going with the full name, [name_u]James[/name_u], sounds more modern to me.
My brother’s name is [name_u]James[/name_u], as is his friend, and my there are two in my other brother’s first grade class. I know several others as well. But he loves its popularity, and loves meeting so many people with his name (along with all the historical figures named [name_u]James[/name_u], because he loves history). [name_u]James[/name_u] is one of the few names that are that popular that I still think are really cute.
[name_u]James[/name_u] was used 32,000+ times when I was born (compared to just under 15,000 now) and growing up I only knew a few boys with the name and there was never more than 1 in a class. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I think it’ll basically be luck whether he’s the only [name_u]James[/name_u] or if he ends up knowing a handful.
I personally adore the name [name_u]James[/name_u], but I don’t know any. I do have one cousin who is a [name_u]Jameson[/name_u], but he goes by [name_u]Jay[/name_u], not [name_u]James[/name_u]. It is one of those names where he could grow up knowing several others named [name_u]James[/name_u], or not know any, but if the uniqueness was an issue he could always go by a nickname, like [name_u]Jay[/name_u] or [name_u]Jamie[/name_u]. As said above though, it really is one of those names that never really gets old. I think it is a great choice.
James in 2017 is still popular, but definitely not as popular as James in 1950 (86,266) or even in 1993 (26,249). He is obviously going to meet other boys named James but definitely not as often as a James born between 1915 and 1995. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, he will not be bothered. The name diversity is raising every year. From his generation, he probably won’t meet a lot of other James.
I’ve always loved the name [name_u]James[/name_u]! It’s a long running name on both sides of my family but has only been used as a middle name in the past couple of generations. I can only think of one [name_u]James[/name_u] I’ve come across in recent years which surprises me. These days I’ve met an astounding number of little boys named [name_m]Lachlan[/name_m] or [name_m]Jack[/name_m] but never one named [name_u]James[/name_u]!
[name_u]James[/name_u] is too stylish to ever seem “common”. It’s consistently popular, handsome, classic and timeless. It’s one of the finest male names ever, in my view.
[name_u]James[/name_u] is a great name. I know a lot of older men named [name_m]Jim[/name_m]. I knew a [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] once who would be about 58 now.
But [name_u]James[/name_u]? I’ve taught maybe 10 in the last 30 years. It doesn’t seem that common to me.
And [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Russell[/name_m] is classic. Our unborn son’s second middle name is [name_m]Russell[/name_m], because I love how it sounds like leaves rustling in the spring breeze.
Thank you everyone for your opinions. I know very few young children in my area, so it’s hard for me to judge how common it is locally, though in my state it is at #15 I think. I appreciate the feedback.
There were so many boys called [name_u]James[/name_u] in my school that hardly any of them were actually called [name_u]James[/name_u]! They almost all went by their surnames or another nickname ([name_m]Jimi[/name_m], [name_m]Jim[/name_m], Jammo, [name_u]Jamie[/name_u]). My own brother is called [name_u]James[/name_u] and only his family call him that. To his friends he uses his surname.
I think it’s definitely a matter of luck, though, as in that same school there was only a single boy named [name_m]Thomas[/name_m] and that name was extremely popular according to national statistics.