How did the name Jacob become James in the New Testament?

Answer  
  

In the original Greek of the New Testament, the names *Jacob* and *James* are variants of the same root—both names stem from the same Hebrew name, *Yaaqob* (יַעֲקֹב), which is translated “Jacob” throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 25:29\).  
  

In the Greek language, the Hebrew name *Yaaqob* becomes *Iakób* (Ἰακώβ) in a straight translation. That word is still translated as the English “Jacob” throughout the New Testament. For example, when Matthew refers to the son of Isaac and to the father of Joseph, Mary’s husband, he uses *Iakób*. Both those men were named Jacob (see Matthew 1:2 and 8:11\).  
  

*Jacob* was a common name in Jesus’ day, and many people named their son after the patriarch. But, since the culture was strongly influenced by Greek language and culture, the name was also given a Greek form, and the result was *Iakóbos* (Ἰάκωβος). In English translations, this becomes “James.”  
  

The transformation of *Iakób* to *Iakóbos* is an example of a word being Hellenized or Graecized—being adapted to Greek structure and spelling. A similar phenomenon occurs in English, as well: a name of foreign origin is often Anglicized for English speakers. For example, the Scottish name *Cailean* can be Anglicized to *Colin*, and the Welsh name *Eoghan* becomes *Owen*. *Eoghan* and *Owen* are variants of the same name—the spellings and pronunciations are all that’s different. The same is true for *Iakób* and *Iakóbos*.  
  

There is still the matter of why *Iakóbos* is translated as “James” rather than “Jacob.” It’s an adventuresome etymology, and we have to follow the Greek word *Iakóbos* through its later development from Greek to English. Before the time of Jerome and the [Latin Vulgate](Latin-Vulgate.html), the [Greek Septuagint](septuagint.html) had been translated into Latin; in that version, *Iakóbos* was transliterated as *Iacobus* (or *Jacobus*)—still very close to *Jacob*. In Late Latin, however, a slight change in spelling and pronunciation occurred, and the name started to be written as *Iacomus* (or *Jacomus*). Early French adapted the Latin name and truncated it to *Gemmes* (or *Jammes*), and from there English took it as *James*.  
  

In the English New Testament, the name *Jacob* is mostly reserved for references to the Old Testament patriarch (24 out of 26 times). *James* is used of any of several men named James, including two of Jesus’ disciples and the half\-brother of Jesus.  
  

