Jaycob is a modern spelling of Jacob, the Hebrew Ya'aqov, traditionally explained as "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", after the biblical patriarch who was born grasping his twin Esau's heel. The y spelling appeared when Jacob was the number one boys' name in America, from 1999 to 2012, as parents sought a more distinctive look. Jaycob peaked at number 888 in 2012 and has since fallen to number 1926 in 2025.