Jimmy is the familiar short form of James, the English version of the Hebrew Jacob, usually explained as "supplanter" or "holder of the heel" after the biblical story of Jacob's birth. President Jimmy Carter, who insisted on the nickname even on the ballot, and late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel show how American it has become. Jimmy stood at number 272 in 2000 and has eased down to number 847 among boys in 2025.