So you love the name James but aren’t in love with how popular it is. Or maybe you want to honor your Grandpa James but don’t necessarily want to use James itself. Either way here are some sweet alternatives to the popular James.
1 – Jonas
Photo Credit = http://selahstudios.blogspot.com/2012/10/golden-sunset.html#_7o2VWW
Jonas is a Greek name meaning “Dove” and it ranked at #446 in 2017. Many will associate Jonas with the hit boy band the Jonas brothers , who released many hits such as “Burnin up” and “SOS” from 2005 to 2013 (and were a big part of my childhood haha). Mormons may also associate Jonas with the disciple of Christ Jonas – who was the son of Nephi, a prophet of Mormonism , who even has a part of the book of Mormon named after him (disclaimer – I don’t know a lot about Mormonism – if you are Mormon and I am wrong please let me know). I think this name would appeal to those who love James as it has a similar ending and a lovely , peaceful meaning. It would also make a great alternative to Jonah for those who love Jonah but are concerned about it rising up the charts.
2 – Johnny
Photo credit = twistmepretty.com
Johnny is a diminutive of John meaning “God is gracious” and it ranked at #346 in 2017. Many famous celebrities have rocked the name Johnny including daredevil Johnny Knoxville , country singer Johnny Cash and Johnny Ramone who was the guitarist for the punk band “The Ramones”. Animation fans will also associate Johnny with two cartoons – Johnny Bravo , a cartoon network show about a womanizer with a pompadour and Johnny Test , a cartoon network show about an adventurous little boy testing out his brainy sisters experiments. I believe that Johnny would appeal to fans of James as not only does it have a similar sound and vintage style – but it also fits in with the nickname trend we’re seeing at the moment with such names as Frankie and Sadie.
3 – Jefferson
Photo credit = http://brookekellyphotography.blogspot.com
Jefferson is an English name meaning “Son of Jeffery” and it ranked at #694 in 2017. Most will associate Jefferson with the third president of the United States – Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was in office from 1797 to 1801 and was also the main author of the declaration of independence , proposing many of the ideals covered in the declaration. Some may also associate it with the sitcom “The Jeffersons” that ran which followed the Jefferson family as they navigated Manhattan. It’s the second longest running sitcom with a primarily African american cast. I think this name would appeal to those considering James as it has the same strong , traditional roots while also being a bit more spunky.
4 – Jean
Photo credit = http://brookekellyphotography.blogspot.com
Jean is a french name meaning “God is Gracious” and it did not rank in 2017. Jean has been worn by many characters including Jean Valjean from “Les Miserables” , Jean-Luc Picard from “Stark Trek” and Lara Jean from “To all the boys I’ve loved before”. Some may also associate Jean with the famous paddleboat “Sternwheeler Jean” , which was built in 1938 and resides in Oregon. I think this name would appeal to those considering as it is short and simple just like James. I think this would also work well for those considering James for their daughters as the name has also been worn by quite a few women.
5 – Hamish
Hamish is the Scottish variation of James meaning “Supplanter” and it did not rank in 2017. Mystery fans may associate Hamish with Hamish Macbeth book series , which were first published in 1985 and follows a police officer in a small UK village as he solves mysteries. Pixar fanatics may also recongize Hamish as the name of one of the triplet brothers in 2015’s “Brave”. I think it would appeal to parents considering James as it has the same meaning as James and could be a great to honour a James without using James itself (especially if the James in question is Scottish!)
So those are some alternatives to James! Let me know what you think and if there are any you would suggest!
Honorific 