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Home › Baby Names Directory › Jacobo

Jacobo

♂ Boy

Pronounced kha-KOH-oh /xa.ˈko.βo/Medium

Meaning: Holder of the heelMedium

In 30 seconds: Jacobo is the Spanish form of Jacob, meaning 'holder of the heel'. It is a stately Iberian name with deep biblical roots.
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Origin MediumSpanish
MeaningHolder of the heel
U.S. rank (2025)#1982 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births77 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,485

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319102025

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

Jacobo descends from the Hebrew name behind Jacob, traditionally read as 'holder of the heel'. In Spanish it sits alongside its own siblings, Yago and Jaime, all grown from the same scriptural source. The Arabic forms Yacoub, Yakub, and Yaqoob show the same ancestral name carried into another language entirely.

It has been borne by figures of real consequence, including Jacobo Arbenz (1913-1971), a Guatemalan president whose government was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup, and Jacobo Morales (born 1934), the Puerto Rican filmmaker behind an Oscar-nominated picture. The name reads as formal and rounded, softer than the blunt English Jacob.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Jacobo is 'holder of the heel', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Jacobo — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

YagoJaimeYacoubYakubYaqoob

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Jacobo Arbenz (1913-1971)
    Guatemalan military officer and president (1951-1954) whose government was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup.
  • ★Jacobo Morales (b. 1934)
    Puerto Rican actor, poet, writer and filmmaker whose film Lo que le paso a Santiago was nominated for an Academy Award.

If you like Jacobo…

Jaime— Another Spanish form descended from the same root as Jacobo.
Jadiel— a fellow Spanish choice
Javion— shares Jacobo's Spanish roots
Jassiel— shares Jacobo's Spanish roots
Jacinto— a fellow Spanish choice

Explore names like Jacobo

By themespanish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jacobo mean?

Jacobo is usually explained as meaning 'holder of the heel' and is most often linked with Spanish tradition.

How do you pronounce Jacobo?

It's commonly said kha-KOH-oh /xa.ˈko.βo/.

Is Jacobo a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Jacobo is used as a boy name.

How popular is Jacobo?

In 2024, Jacobo ranked #1735 in the U.S. for boys, with 95 births recorded.

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