Jaco

♂ Boy

Pronounced YAH-koh /ˈjɑ.ko/Medium

Meaning: A Portuguese/Afrikaans short form of Jacob, from the Hebrew Yaakov, 'supplanter; holder of the heel' (akev, 'heel'); used as an independent nameLow

In 30 seconds: Supplanter; holder of the heel: Jaco is a form of Jacob. Crisp and warm (said 'YAH-koh').

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Origin LowHebrew, Portuguese

MeaningA Portuguese/Afrikaans short form of Jacob, from the Hebrew Yaakov, 'supplanter; holder of the heel' (akev, 'heel'); used as an independent name

U.S. rank (2024)#10271 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2006

Total births (all-time)≈ 61

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jaco is a Portuguese/Afrikaans short form of Jacob, from the Hebrew Yaakov, 'supplanter; holder of the heel' (akev, 'heel'), used as an independent name. A crisp name (said 'YAH-koh').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely, mostly in Portuguese and Afrikaans families (also the jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius). Rare, holder-of-the-heel at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Jaco is a Portuguese/Afrikaans short form of Jacob, 'supplanter; holder of the heel' from the Hebrew Yaakov (akev, 'heel') — a crisp choice (said 'YAH-koh').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Jaco — Hebrew/Portuguese; form of Jacob

Variations

JacóJaco

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Jaco…

Jacob— the full name

Jakob— a kin spelling

Jace— a companion J- boys' name

Jayco— a fellow Hebrew choice

Maico— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Jaco

By themehebrew classic portuguese

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jaco mean?

Jaco is a form of Jacob, 'supplanter; holder of the heel' from the Hebrew Yaakov.

How do you pronounce Jaco?

It's said YAH-koh /ˈjɑ.ko/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jaco a boy or girl name?

Jaco is a boy's name.

How popular is Jaco?

Jaco is a very rare name in the U.S.