The name Jamison is of Scottish origin and means "son of James". It is a variant of the more common Scottish surname Jamieson, which also means "son of James". The name James itself is derived from the Latin name Jacobus, which was a Latin form of the Hebrew name Jacob.
Jamison has been used as a given name since at least the 18th century. It was particularly popular in Scotland during this time and continued to be so throughout the Victorian era. However, it did not become widely used outside of Scotland until the latter half of the 20th century.
Today, Jamison is considered a unisex name but is more commonly used for boys. It has been consistently popular in the United States since the 1980s, reaching its peak popularity in the late 1990s when it was among the top 150 names for boys.
Some famous people with the name Jamison include American actor and musician Jamie Foxx (born Eric Marlon Bishop), Canadian ice hockey player Jamie Benn, and American basketball player Jamal Crawford. However, there are no significant historical figures or saints associated with this name.
In literature, Jamison has appeared as a character's name in several works, including the novel "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath and the play "Angels in America" by Tony Kushner. It also appears in popular culture, such as in the video game series "Red Dead Redemption" where one of the main characters is named Jamison Marston.
Overall, Jamison is a name with a long history and Scottish origins that has gained popularity worldwide over the past few decades. Its meaning, "son of James," gives it a strong connection to the Bible and Jewish culture through its Hebrew roots.
The name Jamison experienced a significant increase in popularity over the years, with a marked spike starting from the late 1960s. The highest point was reached in 2013 with 615 births, followed by another peak in 2014 with 689 births. However, there has been a steady decline since then, reaching 413 births in 2023. Overall, the name Jamison has seen 20,126 births from 1931 to 2023.