When you hear the baby named John, you may instantly think of the John of the Bible if you know of Christianity. The baby name did in fact start with the Christian church, spreading throughout Europe during the Crusades. It has always been one of the most popular names for boys, however, even holding onto the number one spot in the early 1900s for over 20 years.
Meaning of the name John:
Hebrew: God is gracious
Origin of the name John:
The baby name John is the English version of the Greek name Ioannes. This name comes from the Hebrew name Yochanan with the meaning, Yahweh is gracious. The name became popular among the spread of Christianity due to the apostle John that is found throughout the New Testament. There are also books in the Bible that are called John.
Symbolism of the name John:
The baby name John comes from the Hebrew name Yochanan with the meaning that God or Yahweh is gracious. “Yo” is the Hebrew word for “God,” while “chanan” is the Hebrew word for “gracious.” When combined, these create the name that John translates to in Hebrew.
Style of the name John:
Classical
Gender of the name John:
John is almost exclusively used for males.
Pronunciation of the name John:
JAHN
Number of syllables in the name John:
One
Emotion evoked from the name John:
The baby name John is a classic and strong name. It feels mature and caring.
Alternative spellings for the name John:
- Jhon
- Jon
- Jahn
Nicknames for the name John:
Popularity of the name John:
The baby name John was the most popular name given to boys from 1900 to 1923 until it went to the number two spot until 1928 and the number three spot until 1951. The name alternated between rankings in the top five until 1972, then was on the top 10 list until 1986. John stayed on the top 20 list until 2008, until it entered the top 50 list after. In 2020, the name ranked at number 27 for boys overall.
Related names for the name John:
Great middle names for John and their meanings:
- Andrew (strong, manly)
- Thomas (twin)
- Eric (forever, ruler)
- David (beloved)
- Wesley (western meadow)
- Marcus (dedicated to Mars)
- Mark (God of war)
Famous people with the name John:
- John Adams (second president of the United States)
- John Tyler (former president of the United States)
- John F. Kennedy (former president of the United States)
- John Travolta (actor, “Hairspray”)
- John Krasinski (actor, “The Office”)
- John Grisham (author, “A Time to Kill”)
- John Wayne (actor, “True Grit”)
- John Lennon (singer, The Beatles)
- John Cusack (actor, “Say Anything”)
Johns in popular culture:
- Little John (character in “Robin Hood”)
- John Coffey (character in “The Green Mile”)
- John Winchester (character in “Supernatural”)
- John Bender (character in “The Breakfast Club”)
- John Watson (character in “Sherlock Holmes”)
- John Kennish (character in “Switched at Birth”)
- John Connor (character in “The Terminator”)