The first name John
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “god is gracious”.
Pronounced /d͡ʒɑn/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
John means “god is gracious” in Hebrew.
From Middle English John, Johan, Johannes, from Anglo-Norman Jehan, Johan, and also Old English Iohannes, both from Late Latin Iōhannēs, variant of Latin Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Biblical Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān), perhaps contracted from a former יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān, “God is gracious”). Doublet of Jack, Jon, Johan, Johann, Johannes, Jean, Sean, Shane, Shaun, Ian, Ivan, Evan, Juan, Giovanni, and Yahya.
More names that mean grace.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 296 boys were named John, making it the 174th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,649 births (#46).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare John with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named John at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 8,027 boys born in the United States were named John, the 23rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1947, when 88,324 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.
John in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named John
4,333 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- John LockeEnglish philosopher and physician (1632-1704)
- John Maynard KeynesBritish economist (1883–1946)
- John AdamsFounding Father, U.S. president from 1797 to 1801 (1735–1826)
- John LennonBritish musician (1940–1980)
- John MiltonEnglish poet and civil servant (1608–1674)
- John Stuart MillBritish philosopher and political economist (1806–1873)
- Johnny DeppAmerican actor (born 1963)
- John KeatsEnglish Romantic poet (1795–1821)
- John McCainAmerican politician (1936–2018)
- John WayneAmerican actor (1907–1979)
- John GalsworthyEnglish novelist and playwright (1867–1933)
- Joseph John ThomsonBritish physicist (1856-1940)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name John mean?
- John means “god is gracious” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name John?
- From Middle English John, Johan, Johannes, from Anglo-Norman Jehan, Johan, and also Old English Iohannes, both from Late Latin Iōhannēs, variant of Latin Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Biblical Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān), perhaps contracted from a former יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān,…
- How popular is the name John?
- In 2025, 296 boys born in England and Wales were named John, ranking 174th. Its peak was 1996, with 1,649 births.
- What are nicknames for John?
- Common nicknames for John include Johnny, Jack, Jay, Johnnie, Johnno, Johny.
- Is John a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 5,204,377 US babies named John since 1880 were boys.
- When was John most popular?
- 1947 in the United States, when 88,324 babies were named John, its highest rank at 3rd.
- How do you pronounce John?
- John is /d͡ʒɑn/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of John?
- Jon, Jane, Joan, Johannes, Hank and Jowan.
- Is John also a surname?
- Yes. John is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.