Baby Names:

Jacob

Meaning: Supplanter, heel-grabber

Origin: Hebrew

Alternate spellings: Jacoby, Jakob, Jakobe, Jake, Jaycob

Jacob has been the #1 boy’s name in the U.S. since 1999, and to get to the bottom of the name’s origin you have to open up a whole mess of Old Testament. (It means “supplanter,” or “heel grabber.”) Jacob apparently had a bit of a competitive streak and was born holding his twin brother’s heel. Later Jacob cons his twin into parting with his inheritance in exchange for a bowl of soup and tricks his blind father into blessing him instead of his twin.

But it’s also just a really sweet name. You could call him Jakey. The name has been popular with parents for centuries, yet it still sounds fresh and young today. The most popular nickname for Jacob is Jake, which has become a popular given name in its own right.