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.

Infographic of John name meaning, which is John is name of Hebrew origins meaning God is gracious.
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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 Popularity Other Gender
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 Popularity Other Gender
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 Popularity Other Gender
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 Popularity Other Gender
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

Delia

From Delos

Greek

42 Comments

  1. We liked the meaning, “God is Gracious” and also the historical “John”s in the Bible:
    John-the disciple closest to Jesus
    John-the Baptist, led the way for Christ

  2. We went with a family name. All of our potential names were family names. We just wanted to have meaning behind the name as something special to our family. John is a common name, but our family knows what makes it special to us.

  3. We named our son John Robert after our grandfathers that we lost.

  4. We chose John because it is a family name. It’s also a classic, strong name

  5. 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.

  6. 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 ?

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

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

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

  10. 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 ?

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

  12. 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.

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

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

  15. Named after his dad and grandfathers

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

  17. Prayed for it

  18. His grandpa’s first name and his dad’s

  19. 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.

  20. 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!

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

    • HOW TF DID YOU NOT KNOW??

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

  23. John means “God has been gracious”.

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

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

  26. John is a III so named after his dad and grandfather

  27. 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

  28. Named after his father and grandfather

  29. 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!

  30. Family name

  31. 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

  32. He’s named after his dad

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

  34. Family Name

  35. 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.

  36. named after my father who passed away

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

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

  39. 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.

  40. 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

  41. 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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