John Boy

Popularity: #21 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationJON / /dʒɒn/

Hebrew; Latin; English

Meaning

Hebrew: God is gracious; Latin: John; English: derived from the Hebrew

Historical & Cultural Background

John is a name of significant historical and religious importance, particularly in Christianity, where it is associated with John the Baptist and the Apostle John. It has been a popular name in various cultures for centuries. The name has been borne by numerous saints and kings, contributing to its enduring popularity. In English-speaking countries, it has consistently ranked among the most common names.

Trend Summary

John has seen a decline in popularity in the United States since the mid-20th century but remains a classic name.

Similar Names

JonathanJosephJoshuaJaredJordanJesseJacobJack

Variants

  • Jon
  • Johnny
  • Jack

International Variants

  • Juan (Spanish)
  • Johann (German)
  • Giovanni (Italian)
  • Jean (French)
  • Ioan (Romanian)

Famous people named John

John Locke was an influential English philosopher known for his work in political theory and epistemology.

John F. Kennedy served as the 35th President of the United States and is remembered for his leadership during the Cold War.

John Steinbeck was an American author famous for his novels such as 'The Grapes of Wrath' and 'Of Mice and Men'.

John Lennon was a British musician and member of The Beatles, known for his contributions to music and peace activism.

Fictional characters named John

John Watson is a character in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series, serving as Holmes's friend and biographer.

John Snow is a prominent character in the 'Game of Thrones' series, known for his leadership and moral integrity.

Sibling Suggestions

JamesMatthewDavidMichaelThomasAndrew

U.S. Historical Usage

The name John was first seen in the United States in 1880. John has ranked as high as #4 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name John has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for John (2024)

StateBirthsShare
TX 860
11%
CA 484
6%
FL 461
6%
NY 436
6%
GA 379
5%
PA 355
5%
NC 352
5%
TN 305
4%
AL 303
4%
IL 285
4%
VA 273
4%
OH 260
3%
MA 247
3%
SC 203
3%
MI 180
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
18809,655
18818,768
18829,557
18838,894
18849,388
18858,756
18869,026
18878,110
18889,247
18898,548
18908,502
18917,680
18929,039
18938,049
18948,237
18958,320
18968,138
18977,550
18988,159
18996,990
19009,828
19016,900
19027,907
19037,608
19048,108
19058,059
19068,264
19078,983
19089,343
19099,590
191011,450
191113,446
191224,588
191329,329
191437,947
191547,576
191650,043
191751,852
191856,558
191953,523
192056,913
192158,215
192257,281
192357,467
192459,052
192557,195
192656,108
192755,949
192853,761
192952,110
193052,447
193148,422
193248,625
193346,225
193446,742
193547,510
193647,679
193748,753
193850,518
193951,025
194054,784
194157,519
194266,041
194368,928
194466,611
194566,118
194679,266
194788,321
194882,832
194981,180
195079,412
195181,570
195283,138
195380,167
195481,176
195580,122
195680,806
195779,032
195876,049
195976,445
196076,086
196179,973
196278,420
196378,616
196482,519
196571,499
196665,015
196761,603
196860,906
196958,737
197058,496
197151,508
197243,162
197339,169
197437,618
197535,075
197633,979
197734,199
197834,018
197935,412
198035,277
198134,872
198234,707
198333,158
198432,611
198531,499
198630,208
198729,553
198829,423
198929,853
199029,090
199127,809
199226,255
199324,995
199424,186
199523,244
199622,186
199721,386
199820,631
199920,365
200020,113
200118,903
200217,476
200317,249
200416,467
200515,791
200615,176
200714,440
200813,335
200912,133
201011,567
201111,065
201210,635
201310,736
201410,699
201510,421
201610,055
20179,530
20189,198
20198,857
20208,262
20218,182
20227,993
20237,793
20248,047