Jon Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JON /dʒɒn/
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God is gracious; English: variant of John
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Jon is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." This name was transliterated into Greek as Ioannes and subsequently into Latin as Iohannes. The Old French form, Jean, emerged during the medieval period, which later influenced the English version, Jon.
The transition into English occurred around the 13th century, where Jon became a common variant of John, reflecting the linguistic shifts and adaptations of names through cultural exchanges in Europe. Historically, the name Jon is closely associated with several significant biblical figures, most notably John the Baptist and John the Apostle, both of whom played crucial roles in the New Testament.
The name's prominence was further solidified through its use in various translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611, which contributed to the name's enduring presence in Christian contexts. Additionally, various saints named John, such as Saint John of Beverley and Saint John Chrysostom, have also contributed to the name's historical significance.
Culturally, the name Jon has been associated with notions of grace and divine favor, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, with diminutive forms like Johnny and variations such as Juan in Spanish-speaking regions.
This adaptability has allowed the name to resonate across diverse linguistic and cultural landscapes, maintaining its relevance through centuries. Overall, Jon embodies a rich historical and cultural legacy, rooted in religious significance and linguistic evolution.
Famous people named Jon
In this section, you will find notable people named Jon. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jon who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Jon who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Jon Bon Jovi is a musician best known for his work with Bon Jovi, including the albums Slippery When Wet and New Jersey.
Jon Stewart is a comedian and television host best known for The Daily Show and his work on political satire.
Jon Hamm is an actor best known for his role as Don Draper in Mad Men, as well as for his performances in Baby Driver and The Town.
Jon Cryer is an actor best known for his role as Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men and for his performance in Pretty in Pink.
Jon Favreau is a filmmaker and actor best known for directing Iron Man, The Jungle Book, and The Mandalorian.
Jon Snow is a fictional character from the television series Game of Thrones, portrayed by Kit Harington.
Jon Turteltaub is a director and producer best known for National Treasure, Cool Runnings, and The Meg.
Jon M. Chu is a director and producer best known for Crazy Rich Asians, Now You See Me 2, and In the Heights.
Jon Anderson is a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes.
Jon Batiste is a musician and bandleader best known for his work on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and his album We Are.
Fictional characters named Jon
The following list of fictional characters named Jon is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Jon Snow is a fictional character from the TV series Game of Thrones. He is a central character known for his leadership and moral integrity, serving as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
Jon Arbuckle is a fictional character from the comic strip and animated series Garfield. He is the owner of the titular cat and often serves as the straight man to Garfield's antics.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jon, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jon. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Jon was first seen in the United States in 1898.
Jon has ranked as high as #162 nationally, which occurred in 1964, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, New York, Illinois, and Michigan.
In the past 5 years the name Jon has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Jon is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jon was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Jon (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 30 | |
| CA | 22 | |
| AL | 20 | |
| NY | 15 | |
| TN | 14 | |
| MS | 13 | |
| NC | 11 | |
| PA | 11 | |
| MO | 9 | |
| OH | 9 | |
| FL | 8 | |
| KY | 8 | |
| GA | 7 | |
| LA | 7 | |
| MI | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jon.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 265 |
| 2023 | 254 |
| 2022 | 260 |
| 2021 | 281 |
| 2020 | 286 |
| 2019 | 318 |
| 2018 | 313 |
| 2017 | 321 |
| 2016 | 357 |
| 2015 | 331 |
| 2014 | 376 |
| 2013 | 388 |
| 2012 | 388 |
| 2011 | 347 |
| 2010 | 440 |
| 2009 | 446 |
| 2008 | 512 |
| 2007 | 538 |
| 2006 | 595 |
| 2005 | 619 |
| 2004 | 635 |
| 2003 | 692 |
| 2002 | 723 |
| 2001 | 729 |
| 2000 | 752 |
| 1999 | 770 |
| 1998 | 827 |
| 1997 | 829 |
| 1996 | 838 |
| 1995 | 1,011 |
| 1994 | 1,033 |
| 1993 | 1,131 |
| 1992 | 1,196 |
| 1991 | 1,305 |
| 1990 | 1,424 |
| 1989 | 1,509 |
| 1988 | 1,450 |
| 1987 | 1,515 |
| 1986 | 1,506 |
| 1985 | 1,800 |
| 1984 | 1,848 |
| 1983 | 1,824 |
| 1982 | 2,019 |
| 1981 | 2,058 |
| 1980 | 2,177 |
| 1979 | 2,298 |
| 1978 | 2,410 |
| 1977 | 2,288 |
| 1976 | 2,324 |
| 1975 | 2,516 |
| 1974 | 2,750 |
| 1973 | 2,799 |
| 1972 | 3,221 |
| 1971 | 3,717 |
| 1970 | 4,370 |
| 1969 | 4,214 |
| 1968 | 4,209 |
| 1967 | 4,161 |
| 1966 | 4,240 |
| 1965 | 4,599 |
| 1964 | 4,912 |
| 1963 | 4,751 |
| 1962 | 4,782 |
| 1961 | 4,608 |
| 1960 | 4,403 |
| 1959 | 3,975 |
| 1958 | 3,441 |
| 1957 | 3,467 |
| 1956 | 3,078 |
| 1955 | 3,056 |
| 1954 | 3,161 |
| 1953 | 2,714 |
| 1952 | 2,151 |
| 1951 | 1,961 |
| 1950 | 1,945 |
| 1949 | 1,884 |
| 1948 | 2,214 |
| 1947 | 2,307 |
| 1946 | 2,168 |
| 1945 | 2,043 |
| 1944 | 1,812 |
| 1943 | 1,752 |
| 1942 | 1,763 |
| 1941 | 1,545 |
| 1940 | 1,546 |
| 1939 | 1,450 |
| 1938 | 1,408 |
| 1937 | 1,030 |
| 1936 | 816 |
| 1935 | 537 |
| 1934 | 471 |
| 1933 | 317 |
| 1932 | 164 |
| 1931 | 84 |
| 1930 | 86 |
| 1929 | 53 |
| 1928 | 67 |
| 1927 | 65 |
| 1926 | 55 |
| 1925 | 50 |
| 1924 | 55 |
| 1923 | 46 |
| 1922 | 58 |
| 1921 | 41 |
| 1920 | 50 |
| 1919 | 34 |
| 1918 | 30 |
| 1917 | 25 |
| 1916 | 20 |
| 1915 | 31 |
| 1914 | 17 |
| 1913 | 11 |
| 1912 | 8 |
| 1911 | 9 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1898 | 5 |