Jakob

♂ Boy

Pronounced JAY-kub /ˈdʒeɪ.kəb/High

Meaning: Supplanter; he who grasps the heel; German and Scandinavian spelling variant of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqovHigh

In 30 seconds: The German and Scandinavian spelling of Jacob, meaning 'supplanter' or 'he who grasps the heel,' from Hebrew Ya'aqov. The k-ending distinguishes it from Jacob while sharing the same ancient biblical roots.

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Origin HighHebrew, German

MeaningSupplanter; he who grasps the heel; German and Scandinavian spelling variant of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov

U.S. rank (2025)#1372 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births135 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2001

Total births (all-time)≈ 31,956

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

Jakob is the German, Scandinavian, and Jewish Ashkenazi spelling of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov (supplanter, he who grasps the heel). See Jacob/Yaakov entries.

Jakob ranked #1122 for boys in 2024.

Did you know? Jakob Dylan, son of Bob Dylan, is the lead singer of the Wallflowers — whose 1996 hit One Headlight won two Grammy Awards. His father's use of Jakob for his son gave this spelling an American rock-music dimension.

Overall data confidence 94%

Behind the Name — Jakob — Hebrew/German etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JacobJakubJacoby

Nicknames

JakeJak

Famous Bearers

★Jakob Dylan (1969–present)
American rock musician, lead singer of the Wallflowers. Son of Bob Dylan. Grammy winner for One Headlight (1997).

If you like Jakob…

Jacob— the standard English spelling of the same Hebrew name

Jakub— the Czech/Slovak spelling variant in the same family

Jacoby— the -y suffix form in the same Jacob family

Jaycob— shares Jakob's Hebrew roots

Jordy— shares Jakob's Hebrew roots

Explore names like Jakob

By themehebrew two-syllable german variant-spelling scandinavian

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jakob mean?

Jakob means 'supplanter' or 'he who grasps the heel,' the German and Scandinavian spelling of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov.

How do you pronounce Jakob?

It's said JAY-kub — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jakob a boy or girl name?

Jakob is used as a boys' name.

How popular is Jakob?

Jakob ranked #1122 for U.S. boys in 2024.