Jake

Often used as a variation of Jack and John, the name Jake is also an abbreviated version of Jacob. In the Bible, Jacob steals the birthright of, or supplants, his twin brother, Esau, as well as the blessing of their father, Isaac. Jake has become a name in itself—some parents are skipping over Jacob and putting “Jake” on their son’s birth certificate. And why not? Jake is confident, daring and something of a renegade, just like actor Jake Gyllenhaal (birth name: Jacob), at least in his movie roles.