Jacoby is a surname derived from Jacob, the Hebrew name that means "supplanter" or "holder of the heel", after the patriarch who was born grasping his twin Esau's heel. As a first name it rose with Jacoby Ellsbury, the outfielder who helped the Boston Red Sox win the 2007 World Series. In the United States Jacoby ranked number 825 in 2000, peaked at number 422 in 2008 and has slid since, leaving the top 1000 in 2022 and standing at number 1430 in 2025.