boy's name
John
JON
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 5,370,081
the United States
#23
2025 births
John is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh is gracious," from Yochanan. Borne by John the Baptist and the apostle John, it became the most common male name in England for several centuries and produced an unusually large family of derived names.
- John is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1947, when 88,527 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 413 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
John over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 90,394 |
| 1890s | 81,191 |
| 1900s | 85,070 |
| 1910s | 378,105 |
| 1920s | 567,647 |
| 1930s | 490,531 |
| 1940s | 713,692 |
| 1950s | 799,918 |
| 1960s | 716,135 |
| 1970s | 405,005 |
| 1980s | 323,285 |
| 1990s | 240,645 |
| 2000s | 161,412 |
| 2010s | 102,933 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 48,414 |
What John means
John means "Yahweh is gracious," combining a shortened form of the divine name with a root expressing grace or favor. It is a statement about God rather than a description of the bearer, in common with most Hebrew theophoric names.
Where John comes from
John comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning Yahweh is gracious, which passed into Greek as Ioannes and Latin as Iohannes before reaching English. Two New Testament figures carried it — John the Baptist and John the Apostle — which drove its adoption across all of Christian Europe, producing Jean, Juan, Giovanni, Johann, Ivan, Sean, and Evan among many others. In medieval England it became so common that at times a substantial share of men bore it, which is why it generated so many pet forms, including Jack, Johnny, and the surname-forming Johnson. It remained the most frequently given English male name for roughly five centuries.
John in use
John has produced more distinct descendant names across European languages than almost any other name.
How popular is John?
In 2025, John was given to 8,033 babies in the United States, ranking #23 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where John is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside John
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like John also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with John over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for John
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
John in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for John
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with John — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about John
What does the name John mean?
John means "Yahweh is gracious," from the Hebrew Yochanan.
Is Jack short for John?
Yes. Jack developed from John through the medieval nickname Jankin.
Why is John so common?
Two major New Testament figures carried the name, which drove its adoption across all of Christian Europe.
How popular is the name John?
In 2025, John was given to 8,033 babies in the United States, ranking #23 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is John a girl's or a boy's name?
John is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in John?
John has 1 syllable.
When was John most popular?
John peaked in 1947, when 88,527 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for John?
John is usually shortened to Johnny, Jack and Jackie.
Is John a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. John currently ranks #23 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.