| 100% | PAUL | 4 | Beatle who was born with the first name James |
| 48% | ERNEST | 6 | ___ Rutherford, New Zealand born physicist after whom the element with atomic number 104 was named |
| 45% | SEAN | 4 | Actor Connery who was the first James Bond |
| 44% | CLINT | 5 | First name of the man who played the Man with No Name |
| 44% | IKE | 3 | First name of the musician who was Tina Turner's ex-husband |
| 43% | OGDEN | 5 | First name of the poet who wrote “Candy / Is dandy / But liquor / Is quicker” |
| 43% | BETSY | 5 | Ross who is credited with creating the first American flag |
| 43% | NEIL | 4 | First name in NASA's prestigious list of astronauts who have been to the moon |
| 43% | JADA | 4 | First name of Will Smith's wife, who hosts the Facebook show "Red Table Talk" |
| 43% | MEL | 3 | Gibson who was the first person ever named People's Sexiest Man Alive |
| 42% | CYNDI | 5 | First name of the well-known singer who was musical director for the film "The Goonies" |
| 42% | PSALM | 5 | The first one begins "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked" |
| 42% | NEE | 3 | Born with the name |
| 41% | KANYE | 5 | First name of the rapper who once said “I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation" |
| 41% | BARRY | 5 | ___ Nelson, American actor who was the first to portray James Bond in a television series titled "Climax!" |
| 41% | SHERYLSWOOPES | 13 | Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who was the first player to sign with the WNBA: 2 wds. |
| 41% | DANIELCRAIG | 11 | First Bond actor who was born after 18-Across started playing James Bond (2 wds.) |
| 40% | MONROE | 6 | James ___, fifth President of the United States after whom a city in Louisiana is named |
| 40% | MURRAY | 6 | Lexicographer James who was the O.E.D.'s first editor |
| 40% | WOLESOYINKA | 11 | Nigerian playwright and novelist who was the first African honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 40% | NEE | 3 | "Originally born with the name ..." |
| 40% | SCOTT | 5 | Computer scientist Fahlman who is credited with originating the first smiley emoticon |
| 40% | ALI | 3 | Last name of the boxer who was born Cassius Clay |
| 40% | MURRAY | 6 | Bill ___, "Kingpin" actor and comedian who was the first guest on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in 1993 |
| 40% | JOEL | 4 | Billy ___, "Uptown Girl" singer who was the first musical act on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in 1993 |
| 40% | JENNIFERLOPEZ | 13 | 15-Across and 27-Across singer who was the first woman honored with a "Billboard" Icon Award (2 wds) |
| 40% | DAVIDNJOKU | 10 | Nigerian American NFL tight end who was named to his first Pro Bowl after the 2023 season: 2 wds. |
| 39% | LYRIC | 5 | "In the town where I was born / Lived a man who sailed to sea" is the first one in "Yellow Submarine," by the Beatles |
| 39% | GARFIELD | 8 | James A. ___, 20th President of the United States after whom a city in New Jersey is named |
| 39% | LYN | 3 | ___ St. James, first woman to be named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, 1992 |