The name James is thought to mean 'he who supplants'. To supplant is to take the place of, especially through intrigue or underhanded tactics.
The origin of this is believed to be ancient Hebrew. James is the English version of Jacob. The story goes that James, or Yacov in the ancient texts, tried to steal the birthright from his fraternal twin brother Esau.
In birth, as Esau's arm came out first, Jacob pulled him back in and came out fully first. Fortunately for Esau, the nurse put a string on his wrist to declare him firstborn, before Yacov pulled him back in. So it sounds like a disappointing origin.
But if you look at the first people called James, rather than the original Jacob, these are much more encouraging. Two of Christ's disciples have the name in the New Testament - James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus.
In Britain, James has been a royal name from the beginning of the 15th century onwards. It has been particularly associated with the Scottish house of Stewart.
The people who have borne the name from that family have included James I of Scotland, who ruled from 1424 to 1437. He was a patron of the arts and a noted poet. King James VI of Scotland reigned from 1567 to 1625 and succeeded to the throne of England in 1603.
James II of England, who was on the throne from 1685 to 1688, was a Roman Catholic and was deposed in 1688 in favour of his daughter, Mary,, and her husband William of Orange. His son, (also called James), led a campaign to recover the throne. His followers were known as Jacobites (from Jacobus, the Latin form of James).
The origin of this is believed to be ancient Hebrew. James is the English version of Jacob. The story goes that James, or Yacov in the ancient texts, tried to steal the birthright from his fraternal twin brother Esau.
In birth, as Esau's arm came out first, Jacob pulled him back in and came out fully first. Fortunately for Esau, the nurse put a string on his wrist to declare him firstborn, before Yacov pulled him back in. So it sounds like a disappointing origin.
But if you look at the first people called James, rather than the original Jacob, these are much more encouraging. Two of Christ's disciples have the name in the New Testament - James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus.
In Britain, James has been a royal name from the beginning of the 15th century onwards. It has been particularly associated with the Scottish house of Stewart.
The people who have borne the name from that family have included James I of Scotland, who ruled from 1424 to 1437. He was a patron of the arts and a noted poet. King James VI of Scotland reigned from 1567 to 1625 and succeeded to the throne of England in 1603.
James II of England, who was on the throne from 1685 to 1688, was a Roman Catholic and was deposed in 1688 in favour of his daughter, Mary,, and her husband William of Orange. His son, (also called James), led a campaign to recover the throne. His followers were known as Jacobites (from Jacobus, the Latin form of James).
