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At a Glance: Name: Jake – Meaning: supplanter, held by the heel (via Jacob) – Origin: English (from Jack, also short form of Jacob) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: JAYK
Jake is pronounced JAYK (/ˈdʒeɪk/), and it's an English name that actually started out as a medieval nickname for Jack, itself short for John — not, as many assume, a nickname for Jacob. Jake did later become a short form of Jacob too, and when used that way it carries the meaning "supplanter, held by the heel." It reads as both classic and clean, simple in a way that still feels current.
Meaning & Origin of Jake
Meaning: Supplanter, held by the heel (via jacob).
Origin: English (from Jack, also short form of Jacob).
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'supplanter,' as a nickname for Jacob. Actually: Incomplete — Jake began as a medieval nickname for Jack (from John), not Jacob; the 'supplanter' meaning applies only to its later use as a Jacob diminutive.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Jake
Phonetic: JAYK IPA: /ˈdʒeɪk/
Popularity of Jake
Jake reached its peak popularity in 2000, when it ranked #96 with 4,091 babies given the name; by 2024 it had settled to #422, with 743 babies named Jake.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Jake Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Jake, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Jake mean?
Supplanter, held by the heel (via jacob). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Jake)
How do you pronounce Jake?
Jake is pronounced JAYK (IPA: /ˈdʒeɪk/).
Is Jake a popular name right now?
Jake peaked at #96 in 2000 and is ranked #422 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Jake? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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