James or Jim Forbes may refer to:

Politicians James Alexander Forbes (1805–1881), British vice-consul to Mexican California and founder of the town of Los Gatos James Forbes (statesman) (c. 1731–1780), U.S. statesman, continental congressman for Maryland James Fraser Forbes (1820–1887), Canadian member of parliament James Randy Forbes (born 1952), U.S. representative from Virginia Jim Forbes (Australian politician) (1923–2019), Australian politician

Sportspeople James Forbes (basketball) (1952–2022), American basketball player, Olympic silver medalist Jim C. Forbes (1908–1981), Australian rules footballer for St Kilda Jim Forbes (footballer) (1908–1996), Australian rules footballer for South Melbourne

Military James Forbes (hospital inspector) (1779–1837), Scottish inspector-general of army hospitals James Forbes, 17th Lord Forbes (1765–1843), Scottish colonel James Forbes-Robertson (1884–1955), English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his service in World War I

Religion James Forbes (divine) (c. 1629–1712), Scottish nonconformist minister James Forbes (minister) (1813–1851), Australian clergyman and educator James A. Forbes (born 1935), senior minister of New York's Riverside Church

Others James Forbes, 16th Lord Forbes (died 1804), Scottish nobleman James Forbes (artist) (1749–1819), British artist James Forbes (botanist) (1773–1861), British gardener and botanist James Forbes (portrait painter) (1797–1881), Scottish-American portrait painter James David Forbes (1809–1868), Scottish physicist James Staats Forbes (1823–1904), Scottish railway engineer, railway administrator and art collector James Forbes (playwright) (1871–1938), Canadian-American writer James Forbes (storekeeper) (1828–1906), early Western Australian settler Jim Forbes (journalist) (born 1955), American writer, producer and correspondent James Edwin Forbes (1876–1955), British architect