Jacques first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Jacques has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Jacques

A masculine French name of Germanic roots meaning "supplanter" or "one who follows".

Popularity of Jacques by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Jacques is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 96% of people named Jacques being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 59 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Jacques.

Year	Male Count	Female Count
2024	59	0
2023	54	0
2022	53	0
2021	62	0
2020	68	0
2019	67	0
2018	78	0
2017	67	0
2016	72	0
2015	90	0
2014	70	0
2013	73	0
2012	72	0
2011	87	0
2010	92	0
2009	89	0
2008	105	0
2007	90	0
2006	102	0
2005	103	0
2004	98	0
2003	110	0
2002	124	0
2001	131	5
2000	129	0
1999	123	0
1998	157	5
1997	156	6
1996	138	6
1995	149	6
1994	135	0
1993	151	7
1992	139	8
1991	154	14
1990	162	18
1989	136	14
1988	146	27
1987	137	16
1986	125	0
1985	144	8
1984	130	12
1983	114	0
1982	121	6
1981	138	8
1980	146	7
1979	126	9
1978	108	7
1977	108	5
1976	105	9
1975	116	5

The history of the first name Jacques

The given name Jacques is derived from the late Latin name Jacobus, which in turn comes from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov. The name Ya'aqov is derived from the Hebrew verb עקב ('aqav), meaning "to follow", "to be behind", and can also mean "supplanter" or "displanter".

Jacques is the French form of the name, and it is also commonly used in the English-speaking world. The name has been widely popular since the Middle Ages and has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jacques is Jacques de Voragine, an Italian chronicler and Archbishop of Genoa, who lived from around 1230 to 1298. He is best known for his influential work, the Golden Legend, a collection of hagiographies that became a major source of inspiration for medieval literature and art.

Another notable figure who bore the name Jacques is Jacques Cartier, the French explorer who is credited with the discovery of Canada. Born in 1491, Cartier made three voyages across the Atlantic in the early 16th century and claimed what is now Canada for France.

Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary and explorer, is also a significant historical figure associated with the name. Born in 1637, Marquette is best known for his exploration of the Mississippi River and the establishment of the first European settlement in what is now Chicago.

In the realm of art, Jacques-Louis David, a French Neoclassical painter, stands out as a prominent figure from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in 1748, David is renowned for his iconic works such as The Death of Young Bara and The Coronation of Napoleon.

Another notable figure is Jacques Cousteau, the French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, and filmmaker who is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of marine conservation and underwater exploration. Born in 1910, Cousteau co-developed the Aqua-Lung, an early form of open-circuit underwater breathing apparatus, and produced numerous documentaries that brought the wonders of the ocean to global audiences.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Jacques was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jacques, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

<a href="https://namecensus.com/first-names/jacques-meaning-and-history/">Jacques first name popularity, history and meaning</a>