The first name Jack
A boy’s name from Norman meaning “john”.
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒæk/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Norman origin
Jack means “john” in Norman.
From Middle English Jak, Jakke (also Jackin, Jankyn, etc.), from Anglo-Norman Jakke, *Janke, from Middle Dutch Janke, diminutive of Jan (“John”); equivalent to John + -kin. Doublet of Yankee. It can be also used as nickname for Jacob. Though the name was originally a pet form, it has become more of an independent name. See also Middle French Hennequin, Jannequin, Middle Dutch Janneken, English Jake and Jacques.
Jack is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,595 boys were named Jack, making it the 24th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 10,779 births (#1).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jack with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jack at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 8,748 boys born in the United States were named Jack, the 15th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1927, when 12,802 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Jack in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Jack in Danish and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Jack
536 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Jack LondonAmerican author, journalist and social activist (1876–1916)
- Jack KerouacAmerican writer (1922–1969)
- Jack MaChinese businessman, born 1964
- Jack LemmonAmerican actor (1925–2001)
- Jack KilbyAmerican electrical engineer (1923–2005)
- Jack LaLanneAmerican exercise instructor (1914–2011)
- Jack SteinbergerGerman-American physicist, Nobel laureate (1921-2020)
- Jack WilshereEnglish association football player (born 1992)
- Jack PalanceAmerican actor (1919–2006)
- Jack SzostakAmerican biologist, born 1952
- Jack BrabhamAustralian racing driver (1926–2014)
- Jack GrealishEnglish association football player (born 1995)
Questions
- What does the name Jack mean?
- Jack means “john” in Norman.
- What is the origin of the name Jack?
- From Middle English Jak, Jakke (also Jackin, Jankyn, etc.), from Anglo-Norman Jakke, *Janke, from Middle Dutch Janke, diminutive of Jan (“John”); equivalent to John + -kin. Doublet of Yankee. It can be also used as nickname for Jacob. Though the name was originally a pet form, it has become more…
- How popular is the name Jack?
- In 2025, 1,595 boys born in England and Wales were named Jack, ranking 24th. Its peak was 1996, with 10,779 births.
- What are nicknames for Jack?
- Common nicknames for Jack include Jackie, Jay.
- Is Jack a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 759,677 US babies named Jack since 1880 were boys.
- When was Jack most popular?
- 1927 in the United States, when 12,802 babies were named Jack, its highest rank at 16th.
- How do you pronounce Jack?
- Jack is /ˈd͡ʒæk/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Jack?
- Jak.
- Is Jack also a surname?
- Yes. Jack is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.