Séamus

For other uses, see Seamus (disambiguation).
Séamus
Pronunciation Irish pronunciation: [ˈʃeɪməs]
Gender Male
Origin
Word/name Gaelic
Meaning "he supplanted" or "substitute"
Region of origin Ireland, Scotland, Irish diaspora, Scottish diaspora, Scottish Gaelic, Scottish Kings
Other names
Related names Hamish, James, Jamie, Seumas
Look up Séamus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Séamus (Irish pronunciation: [ˈʃeːməs] or [ˈʃɔməs]), is a male first name of Celtic origin. It is the Gaelic equivalent of the name James. The name James is the English New Testament variant for the Hebrew name Jacob. It entered the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages from the French variation of the late Latin name for Jacob, Iacomus; a dialect variant of Iacobus, from the New Testament Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōvos), and ultimately from Hebrew word יעקב (Yaʻaqov), i.e. Jacob. Its meaning in Hebrew is "one who supplants" or more literally "one who grabs at the heel". When the Hebrew patriarch Jacob was born, he was grasping his twin brother Esau's heel.

Variant spellings include Seamus, Séamas, Seumas, Seumus, Shaymus, Sheamus and Shamus. Diminutives include Séimí, Séimín and Séamaisín. In the United States, the word "Shamus", of Yiddish origin,[1] is sometimes used as a slang word for private detective.[2]

Given name

References

See also

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