Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Seamus” come from?

Seamus is the Irish form of a name derived from Old French James, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος, from Hebrew יעקב, meaning "he grasps the heel" or "supplanter."

Ancestry of “Seamus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1IrishSéamasJames
2EnglishJames—
3Middle EnglishJames—
4Old Frenchjamésever; never
5Latiniamalready; now; anymore
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanHyā́m—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hyā́m →