59 International Variations of Jacob

Jacob comes from the Latin name Iacobus, which was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov. In the Old Testament, Jacob was one of the most important patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. He was the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca and the twin brother of Esau, as well as the husband of both Leah and Rachel. The 12 tribes of Israel evolved from his 12 sons.

Just as Seamus/Seumus is Irish for James, Hamish is the Scottish form — one that's not often used here, but still redolent of Olde Scotland. If you're ready to go further than Duncan and Malcolm, out to Laird and Ewan territory, this may be worth consideration. It also sounds just like the Yiddish word for homey.

The energetic Diego is rising rapidly along with a lot of other authentically Spanish baby names that work perfectly well with surnames of any origin.

Jago is a dashing alternative to overused favorite Jacob.

Tiago, also spelled Thiago, is a popular Portuguese boys' name derived from the more formal Santiago but these days usually used on its own. English speakers won't intuitively get the pronunciation but this might be a creative way to honor an ancestral James or Diego.

Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.

Classic French name that becomes pretentious when used for an American baby.

Kuba is the attractive short form of Jakub, the spelling of Jacob commonly used in Poland. Much more distinctive than Jake!

One of Jacob’s perkier variations.

A Hispanic classic that has lost some momentum in recent years. It could be misunderstood by some as Jamie -- which is how it's pronounced on Game of Thrones.

Jakub is an authentic Polish variation of the megapopular Jacob, but in the US it will feel like a kree8tiv spelling. Kuba is the cute Polish short form.

Jakub is an authentic Polish variation of the megapopular Jacob, but in the US it will feel like a kree8tiv spelling. Kuba is the cute Polish short form.

The lead character of the Oscar-nominated 2016 film "Kubo and the Two Strings" lives in Edo-period Japan, but his name is more often heard as a surname in Japan. Still, fans of the animated movie may want to consider it.

After cracking the US Top 200 in the early 2000s, fueled by Jacob's rise, this name has been losing steam in recent years. But Jakob is the top form of the name in many other countries, cultures, and languages, ranking highly in Germany, Norway, Austria, Iceland, and Slovenia. Jakub is the Polish variation.

Intriguing twist on Jacob, but may be too strongly associated with Michael Jackson.

What a difference a couple of letters make: Old World version of most popular name never quite made it out of the shtetl.

A top name in Eastern European countries including Croatia and Bosnia, where it is a transcription of Jacob.