When that little bundle of joy makes his way into your arms, you already have his first name picked out – James.
But have you given much thought to what his middle name might be?
(As if picking out your new baby boy’s first name wasn’t hard enough.)
What’s in a middle name, anyway? As it turns out, plenty.
That’s why I’ve put together my comprehensive Middle Names guide; lists of the best sounding middle names that flow well with whatever first name you’ve already chosen!
Without any further ado, scroll down the page to see a list of the best middle names for a boy named James.
I’ve compiled these from baby name databases, parent discussion forums, and other sources then whittled them down to the ones I personally think sound best.
Hope it helps!
The importance of picking a good middle name for your son
While a middle name isn’t required when you name your baby, a middle name does have meaning.
A middle name is part of a person’s identity. When they grow up, they can choose to use it or not.
But in a world with plenty of boys named James (James Dean, James Taylor, James Franco, James Cameron, to name a few famous ones), it’s important to give yours a little something extra. Something that’ll make him, him.
Here are 3 reasons you should consider giving your son James a middle name he can be proud of.
A middle name lets you preserve even more family or other important names
Is there someone in your family tree you hope your son will emulate?
Middle names are a great opportunity to show respect and remembrance to a family member. Be it a grandfather, uncle, or even distant ancestor, a middle name is a way for you to connect with and honor your family.
Just be sure to pick a middle name that sounds good with James in front of it!
Their middle name can, and might, become their nickname
People may comment that your baby “looks like a James,” but at some point, he may not want to go by James any more.
Sometimes kids like to rebel and go with a nickname instead. And after all that decision-making for his first name!
It happens. And well, if he has a solid middle name, that could easily become his nickname. Problem solved!
Middle names commonly become a person’s nickname, so take extra care to choose a good one.
The full name power play
Maybe your son James will become a famous actor, author, or owner of a company. What a great opportunity to use his first, middle, and last name for the world to see.
That will really set him apart and make him sound distinguished.
It’s also fun to practice yelling a child’s first, middle, and last name. Because parents, we know you’re going to do it at some point when they’ve acted up.
Better to make sure it rolls off the tongue now!
Middle name ideas for a boy named James
There are literally thousands of options for middle names, but you want to choose something that is meaningful and sounds good with James.
Here are just a few ideas to consider:
James Adam
James Adrian
James Alexander
James Andrew
James Benjamin
James Bennett
James Brenton
James Cole
James Connor
James Daniel
James Dylan
James Elijah
James Elliot
James Emmett
James Everett
James Flynn
James Finnigan
James Gavin
James Hayes
James Harrison
James Henry
James Hunter
James Isaac
James Liam
James Leon
James Lewis
James Michael
James Mitchell
James Matthew
James Maxwell
James Monroe
James Nicholas
James Oliver
James Phillip
James Randell
James Riley
James Ryan
James Quinten
James Theodore
James Timothy
James Thomas
James Tyler
James Vincent
James Wade
James Wesley
James West
James Zachary
If you’re still not quite sure, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Baby Name Wizard.
It’s the most comprehensive baby name book out there, full of data-driven insights into name popularity, nicknames, similar names, and picking a great middle name.
Meaning of the name James
According to BabyCenter, the name James is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob. It means “supplanter,” or one who follows.
The name can be found in the Bible, and then the name James became more popular in the 17th century when Scottish king James VI inherited the English throne.
James is a classic, masculine, and popular name for a boy.
Wrapping Up
Those are just a few of my favorite names that go well with James, but by no means is it an exhaustive list.
Hopefully, you found a few you like as well. If not, you might like this cool resource from Mom Junction with more middle name ideas based on syllables, and more.
Tell me in the comments which ones you like, or just your favorite middle names for James in general.
And if you found this helpful, scroll down and join my email list or follow me over on Pinterest.
Good luck, parents!