Meaning: Its source is Yaakov, a Hebrew name meaning "One who grasps by the heel or supplanter."

In Polish, this name is spelled with an accent -- Jakób.

Languages: This boy's name is used in German and Polish.

Popularity: The name Jakob ranked 196th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics.

Narrative: In the Jewish scriptures, Jacob was the youngest son of Isaac and Rebecca.

With his mother's help, Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing (and the inheritance that went with it) to which his elder brother Esau was entitled. In his rage, Esau cried ''Is he not rightly called Jacob? For he has supplanted me.''