Choosing a first name that honors the family while sounding modern is something many parents think about at the time of birth. A male first name from England has already attracted 365 families in 2024, according to Insee data, and it could well become even more popular by 2026. This first name, adopted by host Marie Portolano for her eldest son, hides a much older history than it seems.
It is about JamesA
first name with a very current sound but which finds its roots in “papi Jacques”. For her son born in 2014, Marie Portolano chose this English first name as a tender nod to her grandfather while offering an international first name to her child. Of Hebrew origin, James is a variant of Jacques and carries the strong meaning of the one who supplants.
Why Marie Portolano fell for the first name James
Known for her broadcasts on France 4, such as XXL KindergartensMarie Portolano revealed that she is the mother of three children and that she named her eldest child James. For this boy, the choice of a “British” first name allows him to move away from the first names most given in France while maintaining a strong family bond. This mix of tradition and modernity speaks to many young parents.
James has five letters, a simple pronunciation and identical writing in many countries, which reassures parents who dream of children feeling comfortable abroad. Nearly 21,000 people already have this first name in France and it appears in the Top 200 for men. It is found mainly in the South-West, in Paris and in the North, proof that its charm works everywhere.
Origin of the first name James: from Jacob to Jacques, “the one who replaces”
Beyond the trend effect, James has a very old history. This male first name, of Hebrew origin, means “one who replaces” or “supplanter”. James is linked to the biblical first name Jacob, from Ya’aqov, which can be linked to the idea of a brother who takes the place of the other. The Behind the Name site specifies that Jameson means son of James, which makes it a derivative and not a diminutive.
Linguists trace a long journey: from the Hebrew Ya’aqov, the first name passed through the Greek Iakobos then the Latin Iacobus, before giving Jacques in French and James in English, as detailed in Wikipedia. In France, the first name James is linked to Saint James the Greater. We can celebrate the James on May 3 or July 25, depending on the calendar.
Popularity of the first name James in France: a well-established trend
The numbers confirm that James is more than just a celebrity crush. Based on INSEE data, there are 365 boys named James in 2024 and a recent peak in 2021 with 393 births, already close to the 1960 record of 380 births. According to Stéphanie Rapoport, author of L’Officiel des Noms, “In the ranking of the 20 most given male first names, we find nearly 13 Hebrew first names”, which clearly places James in the trend.