Jakob

Jakob is a masculine given name widely used in German-speaking and Scandinavian countries. It is a variant of Jacob, ultimately derived from the Hebrew Ya’akov.

The Hebrew Ya’akov appears in the Bible; the meaning is commonly associated with “supplanting” or “holder of the heel,” though etymology is debated. Over time, the name has entered many languages with various spellings and forms, becoming a classic given name in many European traditions.

Variants include Jacob and Jakob in Germanic languages; Jakub in Czech, Polish, and Slovak; Jakov in several South Slavic languages; Jacques in French; Giacomo in Italian. In English, the corresponding form is Jacob or Jacobus, and the related name James is often linked through historical usage.

Notable people named Jakob include Jakob Dylan (born 1969), American musician and lead singer of The Wallflowers, and Jakob Fuglsang (born 1985), Danish professional road bicycle racer. These examples illustrate the name’s continued popularity across diverse fields.

As a given name, Jakob remains common in many European countries and North America, and it occasionally appears as a surname. The name’s long-standing presence in religious, literary, and cultural contexts contributes to its enduring usage today.