() is an Irish and Scottish male given name, of Hebrew origin via Latin. It is the Irish 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, ; a dialect variant of , from the New Testament Greek (), and ultimately from Hebrew word (), 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. Other variant spellings in Irish include , and Seumus. It has also been anglicised as Shaymus, Seamus, Seamas, Sheamus and Shamus. Diminutives include , and . In the United States, the word "Shamus" was a derogatory slang misspelling of Séamus that arose during the 19th century as more than 4.5 million Irish immigrated to America, peaking at almost two million between 1845 and 1852 during the Great Famine (Irish: An Gorta Mór). Irish immigrants found employment in the police departments, fire departments and other public services of major cities, largely in the Northeast and around the Great Lakes, and have been overrepresented in the New York police since then. Though still used by some as a derogatory term, the great preponderance of Irish and Irish-American law enforcement officers led to a persisting stereotype, and the name "Shamus" continues to refer to Irish-American police and private detectives. Given name Seamus, Stuart / Stewart Kings of Scotland from James I to James VI Sheamus (born 1978), ring name of Irish professional wrestler Stephen Farrelly Séamus Bannon (1927–1990), Irish retired sportsman Séamus Barron (born 1945), Irish retired hurler Seamus Blackley (born 1967 or 1968), American physicist, talent agent, and co-creator of the original Xbox console Seamus Blake (born 1970), tenor saxophonist Seamus Bohan, Irish independent politician Seamus Bonner (1948–2012), Irish sportsperson Séamus Bourke (hurler) (born 1957), Irish retired hurler Seamus Boxley (born 1982), former American former professional basketball player Séamus Brennan (1948–2008), Irish politician and Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism Séamus Burke (1893–1967), Irish politician Séamus Butler (born 1980), Irish sportsperson Seamus Cahill, Irish born greyhound trainer Séamus Callanan (born 1988), Irish hurler Seamus Carey, American philosopher and academic Séamus Casey (born 1997), Irish hurler Seamus Clancy, Gaelic footballer Seamus Clandillon (1878–1944), Irish musician