John Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like John

John Name Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: j(ohn)
See what 38 people think about John

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John Name Meaning

A derivative of the Hebrew name Yochanan, John means “God is gracious.” A boy name giant for centuries, John has since cooled to sit comfortably in the charts as a sweet spot name – not too popular but not at all obscure.

John has a depth of use rarely seen, his appearances throughout history unprecedented. The name of kings, popes, presidents, and more, John has touched nearly every corner of civilization much like his friends James and Michael. He’s also a biblical name, with John the Baptist and John the apostle carrying the moniker.

John is a name of resolute strength and character, maybe in part due to his meaning. Today he is a classic choice for a son that is unique from the trendy commotion seen in rhymy monikers, standing tall and proud, unwavered despite years of heavy use. John is an all-around name, aging well and fitting any profession.

John has the alternate spelling of Jon and a longer form in Jonathan for those looking for a longer name. He also has the variants of Giovanni, Johan, and Ian for those looking for a more unexpected way to honor a John. Best of all, he has the adorable nickname of Johnny.

John Name Popularity

How popular is the name John? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	1	11,450	3.252%
1911	1	13,446	3.6108%
1912	1	24,587	4.8755%
1913	1	29,329	5.1729%
1914	1	37,948	5.4452%
1915	1	47,577	5.2366%
1916	1	50,045	5.1807%
1917	1	51,853	5.183%
1918	1	56,559	5.2699%
1919	1	53,529	5.112%
1920	1	56,913	5.1186%
1921	1	58,217	5.0841%
1922	1	57,276	5.1411%
1923	1	57,472	5.1312%
1924	2	59,052	5.0852%
1925	2	57,197	5.0604%
1926	2	56,119	5.1023%
1927	2	55,947	5.0543%
1928	2	53,755	5.024%
1929	3	52,116	5.0315%
1930	3	52,432	5.0194%
1931	3	48,420	4.9059%
1932	3	48,611	4.9203%
1933	3	46,220	4.9611%
1934	3	46,737	4.8347%
1935	3	47,497	4.8876%
1936	3	47,667	4.9484%
1937	3	48,746	4.9469%
1938	3	50,513	4.9342%
1939	3	51,017	5.0154%
1940	3	54,777	5.1535%
1941	3	57,515	5.1102%
1942	3	66,027	5.2288%
1943	3	68,915	5.2789%
1944	3	66,612	5.3747%
1945	3	66,118	5.4214%
1946	3	79,261	5.3716%
1947	3	88,318	5.2909%
1948	3	82,830	5.1887%
1949	3	81,155	5.045%
1950	3	79,420	4.9326%
1951	3	81,577	4.8114%
1952	3	83,163	4.7643%
1953	4	80,125	4.5273%
1954	4	81,166	4.4401%
1955	5	80,056	4.3523%
1956	5	80,761	4.276%
1957	5	78,981	4.1044%
1958	5	75,992	4.0209%
1959	4	76,419	4.0222%
1960	4	76,096	4.0162%
1961	3	79,923	4.2334%
1962	3	78,437	4.2724%
1963	2	78,636	4.3807%
1964	2	82,529	4.6886%
1965	2	71,551	4.3754%
1966	4	65,038	4.1656%
1967	4	61,623	4.0607%
1968	3	60,931	4.0578%
1969	4	58,776	3.8152%
1970	4	58,520	3.6773%
1971	4	51,516	3.4283%
1972	5	43,182	3.1705%
1973	6	39,175	3.0218%
1974	6	37,640	2.896%
1975	7	35,096	2.7312%
1976	6	34,008	2.6387%
1977	6	34,230	2.5394%
1978	7	34,036	2.5316%
1979	7	35,438	2.5133%
1980	8	35,279	2.4128%
1981	8	34,882	2.373%
1982	8	34,699	2.322%
1983	9	33,151	2.2465%
1984	8	32,612	2.1923%
1985	9	31,499	2.0753%
1986	10	30,203	2.0009%
1987	11	29,541	1.9358%
1988	11	29,401	1.8867%
1989	12	29,844	1.8494%
1990	12	29,073	1.7541%
1991	10	27,801	1.7056%
1992	14	26,241	1.644%
1993	16	24,989	1.6028%
1994	15	24,178	1.5755%
1995	13	23,236	1.5417%
1996	15	22,180	1.4813%
1997	15	21,379	1.4455%
1998	15	20,624	1.378%
1999	15	20,346	1.3586%
2000	14	20,092	1.3153%
2001	14	18,885	1.2534%
2002	17	17,446	1.1642%
2003	17	17,225	1.1322%
2004	18	16,447	1.0791%
2005	18	15,765	1.0311%
2006	19	15,161	0.9682%
2007	19	14,430	0.9146%
2008	20	13,314	0.8614%
2009	27	12,114	0.8105%
2010	26	11,555	0.8018%
2011	27	11,042	0.775%
2012	28	10,615	0.7449%
2013	27	10,704	0.7518%
2014	26	10,687	0.7335%
2015	26	10,373	0.7129%
2016	28	9,995	0.6932%
2017	27	9,434	0.6759%
2018	27	9,119	0.6637%
2019	28	8,779	0.6485%
2020	27	8,076	0.6345%
2021	27	8,130	0.6651%
2022	25	7,832	0.5937%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like John

If you like John, you’ll love these other names like John.

What names are diminutives of John?

A diminutive is a name that’s like John sounds, you might also like these names that sound like John, but shorter.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Jack	God is gracious	English
Jackie	Son of Jack; he who supplants; God is gracious	Hebrew
Jacky	Son of Jack; he who supplants; God is gracious	Hebrew
Jan	God is gracious	Slavic
Jock	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jocko	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johnie	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johnnie	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johnny	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jonnie	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jonny		English

What names are variants of John?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name John.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Anno	God is gracious	Hebrew
Chan		Spanish
Dajon

Ean	God is gracious	Scottish
Eian	God is gracious	Hebrew
Eion	God is gracious	Scottish
Eoin	God is gracious	Irish
Eon	God is gracious	Scottish
Euan	Born of yew; youth	Scottish
Evan	God is gracious	Welsh
Evian	Variant of Evan	American
Ewan	Born of yew; youth; God is gracious; born of yew; youth	Welsh
Ewen		Irish
Gahan		Scottish
Gian	God is gracious	Italian
Giannes	God is gracious	Hebrew
Gianni	God is gracious	Italian
Giannis	God is gracious	Hebrew

Giannos	God is gracious	Hebrew
Giovanni	God is gracious	Italian
Hannes	God is gracious	Scandinavian
Hanno	God is gracious	Hebrew
Hans	God is gracious	Scandinavian
Hanschen	God is gracious	Hebrew
Hansel	God is gracious	Scandinavian
Hansl	God is gracious	Hebrew
Heanno	God is gracious	Hebrew
Hovannes	God is gracious	Hebrew
Huon	God is gracious	Hebrew
Iain	God is gracious	Scottish
Ian	God is gracious	Scottish
Ioannes	God is gracious	Hebrew
Ioannis	God is gracious	Hebrew

Ion		Greek
Ivan	God is gracious	Slavic
Ivann	God is gracious	Hebrew
Iwan	God is gracious	Slavic
Janak		Indian (Sanskrit)
Jancsi	God is gracious	Hebrew
Janek	God is gracious	Slavic
Janko	God is gracious	Hebrew
Janne	God is gracious	Hebrew
Janos	God is gracious	Slavic
Jean	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jeannot	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jehan	The world; God is gracious	Indian (Sanskrit)
Jenkin	Little John	English
Jenkins	Little John; God is gracious	Hebrew

Jens	God is gracious	Scandinavian
Jian	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jianni	God is gracious	Hebrew
Joannes	God is gracious	Hebrew
Joao	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johan	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johanan	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johann	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johannes	God is gracious	Hebrew
John-Carlo	God is gracious	Hebrew
John-Michael	God is gracious	Hebrew
John-Patrick	God is gracious	Hebrew
John-Paul	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johnn	God is gracious	Hebrew
Johnson	Son of John	English

Johon	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jon	God is gracious	English
Jona	God is gracious	Hebrew
Jones	Son of John	English
Jonn		English
Jovan	Form of John	Slavic
Jovanney	God is gracious	Italian
Jovanni	God is gracious	Latin
Jovonni	God is gracious	Hebrew
Juan	God is gracious	Spanish
Juanito	God is gracious	Spanish
Juwan	God is gracious	Spanish
Keon	God is gracious	Irish
Sean	God is gracious	Irish
Seann	God is gracious	Hebrew

Shane	God is gracious	Irish
Shaughn	God is gracious	Irish
Shaun	God is gracious	Irish
Shawn	God is gracious	Irish
Sinjin	God is gracious	Hebrew
Vanek	God is gracious	Hebrew
Vanko	God is gracious	Hebrew
Vanya	God is gracious	Russian
Yann	God is gracious	Hebrew
Yanni	God is gracious	Hebrew
Yannis	God is gracious	Hebrew
Yanno	God is gracious	Hebrew
Yochanan	God is gracious	Hebrew
Yovanny	God is gracious	Italian
Zane	God is gracious	American

What names sound like John?

If you like how John sounds, you might also like these names that sound like John.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender

Bond	Peasant farmer	German
Bron	Son of the brown man	English
Don	“A lord,” from the Latin dominus, a master or a lord.	Welsh
Job	Persecuted	Hebrew
Joe	A diminutive form of Joseph.	English
Joel	Yahweh is God	Hebrew
Jonathan	God has given	Hebrew
Ron	Mountain of strength; crooked nose; ruler's counselor	Scottish
Vaughn	Little	Welsh
Von	Hope	Scandinavian

What names are similar to John?

Find a name that’s like John, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Christopher	Bearing Christ	English
Daniel	God is My Judge	Hebrew
David	Beloved	Hebrew
James	Supplanter	English
Joseph	Jehovah will increase	Hebrew

Luke	From Lucania	Greek
Matthew	Gift of God	Hebrew
Michael	Who is Like God?	Hebrew
Paul	Small	Latin
William	A willing protector	German

Lists With John

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name John.

Siblings of John

Mamas with kids named John also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Amelia	Work	German
Mali	Industrious, striving; work	Latin
Lane	Pathway	English
Kinleigh	Kings meadow.	English
Karleigh	Free man	Latin
Katherine	Pure	Greek
Kennedy	Helmeted head	Irish
Autumn	Season of harvest	English
Addi	Noble; noble kind	German
Sueann	Lily	Hebrew

Susie	Lily	Hebrew
Jeremiah	God will exalt	Hebrew
Hanna	He (God) has favored me	Hebrew
Lynn	Lake", "waterfall" or "pool", and probably would have been given to a family living near such a body of water. Sometimes used as a diminutive of Linda (Spanish) "pretty	Spanish
Eleanor	Of unknown meaning	English
Henry	Home ruler	English
Elias	My God is Yahweh	Hebrew
Matthew	Gift of God	Hebrew
Emma	Whole or universal	German
Zamiyah
Joseph	Jehovah will increase	Hebrew
Ryan	Little king	Irish

Share Your Thoughts

38 Comments

Amanda Feb 8 at 7:31 pm

I just liked the name, but my husband is a huge Tom Clancy fan. The protagonist in many of his books is Jack Ryan whose full name is John Patrick Ryan. Our John also goes by Jack, but his “government name” is John. I like the simplicity of the name, and we have a John Patrick in our distant family tree as well.

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Ragan Jan 15 at 8:40 am

John means “God is gracious” and He has been so gracious to us indeed in giving us this precious life to love and care for ?

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Amanda+Wildenberg Jan 4 at 3:07 pm

We chose the name John because it’s my father and my father in laws name!?

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Kedishia+Woodson Jun 30 at 8:42 am

He was name John because he was ordained to name so before he was even conceive

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Mercedes Mar 29 at 7:34 am

He is a Jr!! He’s named after his daddy!

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Kacy Jun 20 at 11:00 am

John is a family name on my husband side, originally spelled Johan, from as far back as the 1500s. Same with John’s middle name Freidrich. I absolutely love his name ?

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Sarah Apr 22 at 12:44 pm

We named him after his father, grandfather on mom’s side and both of his great-grandfathers.

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Desiree Mar 29 at 10:14 am

We chose John because it is my Grandfather’s name who was more like a father to me growing up. My grandfather has a family name as well and I wanted to carry on the tradition.

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Mary Mar 14 at 7:22 am

String Bible character great clean classic string name goes with our other boys Joseph and Daniel

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Nicole Feb 9 at 8:32 am

We named him after daddy’s uncle that died in Iraq.

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Deanna Jan 7 at 7:56 am

Named after his dad and grandfathers

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Sherri Auvil Oct 17 at 7:58 pm

I love a man named John. My Dad is also John. My son is also John as well as me grand father..

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Payal Sep 27 at 5:29 pm

Prayed for it

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Mama JJ Aug 13 at 6:20 am

His grandpa’s first name and his dad’s

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Ruby Jul 24 at 7:56 am

His real name John-Luca but they don’t have hyphenated names on this site. My husband was a bit worried it would be too long, but I reminded him that Theodore was 3 syllables (Our first son’s name.) We also had a little trouble finding a middle name. We really liked Randall but it sounds kind of similar to our last name. We settled on Noah, (Honestly it was the shortest name we liked.) So we ended up with John-Luca Noah Macaulay (insert last name) Our first son, Theodore was easier to find a name for and we knew we wanted Theodore Frank Macaulay (Insert last name.) So we were shocked about how hard it was to find a good middle name! With our youngest, my husband and I agreed that we would stick to our guns and we went with, George Henry Macaulay (insert last name) John-Luca’s name is defiantly my favourite out of their names and I’m glad we went with it.

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Michelle Jun 11 at 7:34 am

We like the meaning of John – God is gracious. John was born by VBAC but even before he was born we decided he would be John if a boy and Ruth if a girl. If a girl the middle name would have the idea of grace. So we mainly liked the idea of God’s grace in a name. John looks a bit English with lots of hair and long sideburns, so his name definitely fits!

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Pete May 20 at 7:33 pm

We wanted something unique, Turns out, John not unique. OOps.

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- Tex Jul 27 at 1:54 pm
  
  HOW TF DID YOU NOT KNOW??
  
  Reply
Robin Apr 2 at 3:22 pm

My son’s name is John Henry, VIII. My husband’s family can trace this name back all the way to the 17th century!

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Kate Fortson Mar 3 at 10:35 am

John means “God has been gracious”.

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Amber Oct 1 at 10:56 am

We named him after his daddy’s granddad. He’s my rainbow sugar baby.

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Ashton Sep 6 at 5:32 pm

It’s my fianc?’s grandfathers name. I like it because it’s old school. John is a very happy baby.

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Colleen Jun 22 at 1:17 pm

John is a III so named after his dad and grandfather

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Jeremiah RIA Peter May 2 at 10:58 pm

Johnruss name after my boyfriend brother who die from fishing
Modasialuaigason meaning mommy ,daddy ,sister always love you always in god arm son
Jr name after my partner middle name

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Suz Apr 10 at 12:05 pm

Named after his father and grandfather

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Jessica Mar 30 at 10:24 am

We chose the name John bc of the meaning behind it It means God has been gracious after John the Baptist in the Bible. He’s our rainbow baby after 11 years of trying to get pregnant and two miscarriages. We always felt like we were going to have a baby – it was the Lords promise to us. His full name is John Paxton Promise Nieper. All Gods promises are yes and amen!

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Donna Mar 8 at 9:33 am

Family name

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Dawn cosner Feb 16 at 5:46 pm

I came up with the name John after my uncle John and he died when he was 39 years old he was a good Christian man I will forever be missed

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Breanna Feb 4 at 10:44 am

He’s named after his dad

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Julie Jan 10 at 10:15 am

After St. John the Apostle, and St. John of the Cross.

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John Dec 30 at 7:17 pm

Family Name

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Abigail Nov 25 at 4:53 pm

My husband and I were playing trivia on the way home from a wedding to stay awake on the drive, and one of the trivia questions was “what is the name of both the second and sixth president?” My husband didn’t know, so I quizzed him again “why do I know this random information?” It was because my name is Abigail – John Adams’s wife and John Quincy Adams’ mom. He said “we should name him John Quincy!” after months of trying to think of both a girl and boy name.
John was born at home, unassisted, caught by his dad, and he has the most beautiful green eyes. His big brother loves him and he loves us too.

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breana Aug 19 at 2:08 pm

named after my father who passed away

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Kate Jul 30 at 5:06 pm

My john is actually a 2nd he took his name from his daddy.

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breana Jul 22 at 2:38 pm

named after my father who passed away when i was nine. awesome string solid name

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chardonnay Jun 10 at 5:55 pm

Well I call him John Calvin which is his first and middle name. I wanted to name him after his father but also make his name all his own. I love how strong and powerful his name is, and I’m not just being biased. Everywhere we go people say they love how his name makes him sound like a really important person and it’s so strong.

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Lacy Apr 22 at 3:17 pm

Our son is John III, so we chose it because it’s a family name. I can tell you that it will definitely be a good name when he’s a man, as people often think that I’m talking about my husband when I say his name and think that Jeffrey is our son’s name! haha

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Bambi Apr 13 at 12:37 pm

This time we found out we were having a boy. Right away we knew his name would be John. He is named after my husband’s Grandpa John. My husband’s middle name is “E”. He wanted our son to have the same initials as him. So we had to come up with an “E” name. We both agreed and after praying about it, had confirmation on the name Emmanuel. John Emmanuel it is. We call him John E (Johnny) most of the time. My husband’s Grandma still calls his Grandpa “Johnny” and we think that is so awesome. Very special!

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John