John: Still the Most Influential Name for Boys Now

We all know that the name John ranked Number One in the US for ages. To be precise, John held the top spot from 1880, the first year rankings are reported, all the way through 1923. It remained in the Top Ten until 1986. As of 2023, John still ranks #26.

A venerable classic, John’s history of use traces back to the New Testament with John the Baptist. President John Adams and JFK, literary figures like John Steinbeck, actors including John Travolta, John Wayne, and Johnny Depp, musicians like John Lennon, Johnny Cash, John Denver, and John Legend, too many fictional characters to count. (Okay, I’ll try … John Wick, Jon Snow, John McClane … Sherlock sidekick Dr. Watson is also John.)

Despite all of these noteworthy men with the name, we tend to imagine that John’s long reign is over. But if we consider the many variations of the name John?

It might still be the most popular choice for boys in the US.

Kinda-sorta.

Wondering how so many forms of the name John evolved? Start with the Hebrew name Yohanan. Make it Ioannes in Greek. And then transform Ioannes into Ioannes and then Johannes in Latin. 

The fame of figures like the apostle John ensured it would be translated widely, across all of Europe and beyond. During much of the Middle Ages, it was undeniably the most common name for men.

Like any classic, it’s a common family name, too, ensuring that generation after generation would be named for grandpa John. 

There’s even John Doe, the male name that stands in when no one identity is known.

That’s quite a lot of John, but how does the name stand up in the twenty-first century?

VARIATIONS OF THE NAME JOHN: TOP 100

The US Top 100 still includes John, as well as many related names. The #1 name in the US, Liam, was given to 20,802 boys. But should we add Liam and William together? Maybe. That’s 31,760 births.

Noah, the #2 name, was given to 18,995 boys. Maybe that’s a better benchmark? 

Let’s take a look at the forms of John currently ranked in the US Top 100.

IAN #70

It doesn’t seem quite right in English, but I, Y, and J tend to be interchangeable. The Latin Iohannes logically shortens to the Scottish Ian, given to 4,538 boys in 2023.

JACK #14

An upbeat nickname form of John, Jack has been given independently for generations. In 2023, 8,683 boys were named Jack. It’s a powerhouse classic name of our moment. 

Wondering how we got from John to Jack? First, swap out Jan for John. Now add -kin. Endings like -kin and -ek have long been popular ways to form a diminutive. So Jankin was an affectionate form of Jan. Now drop that awkward middle ‘n’ sound and you have Jakin … which is shortened once more, this time to Jack.

More or less, over the course of many years.

JACKSON #28

Surname name Jackson is an almost inevitable development, thanks to so many men named Jack. It was given to 7,284 boys in 2023.

JAXON #86

Respell Jackson to the phonetic Jaxon, and the name remains very popular. 3,918 boys were named Jaxon in 2023. Jaxson has previously appeared in the US Top 100, but has fallen slightly in recent years.

JOHN #26

With 7,750 boys named John in 2023, it’s fair to say that name remains very popular, indeed.

JONATHAN #82

Strictly speaking, Jonathan is not a form of John. It’s a separate Hebrew name meaning “Yahweh has given.” It’s a cousin to fellow Old Testament names Nathan and Nathaniel. But that’s not how we think about names now, and so Jonathan sounds like it belongs on this list. 4,066 boys were named Jonathan in 2023.

THE COMPETITION

If you’re keeping count, that’s 38,820 boys receiving one of the Top 100 variations of the name John. This puts this category comfortably ahead of Liam plus William, and well ahead of Noah.

Are there other names that, if all forms are tallied, would still rival John? 

After all, Jack and Jonathan don’t really sound like the same name, do they? And I can easily imagine brothers answering to Ian and John without anyone feeling like the names were confusingly close.

Let’s see:

• One logical possibility is James and Jacob. Both names have been very popular, even holding the #1 spot in the past. Combined, though, they reach just 18,649 boys. That’s less than Noah.
• How about the English Joseph combined with the Spanish Jose? Nope. Just 10,941 births combined. 
• There’s also Luca, Luke, and Lucas. At 25,892 total, the Luc/Luk names surpass Noah, but still fall short of Liam/William.

The precise, four-letter John might not be the most popular name for boys in the United States now, but in terms of impact?

It still packs a punch.

And we’re not even close to done – though several of these variations of the name John might be fairly obscure.

EVEN MORE FORMS OF JOHN

BEVAN

A Welsh surname that comes from the phrase “ap Evan” meaning “son of Evan.” Bevans-with-an-S is also heard.

EVAN

Of course, if Bevan makes this list that’s because Evan is also a Welsh form of John via the now obscure Ifan. Ewan – as in Scottish actor Ewan McGregor – is also sometimes considered a form of the name, though it likely has separate roots.

GIAN, GIANNI

The Italian transformed Iohannes into Giovanni. And Giovanni was shortened, again, to Gianni or Gian. Depending on your accent, Gianni can sound quite a bit like Johnny, and Gian? Say it fast, and it’s almost John.

GIANIS, GIANNIS

NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is known as the “Greek Freak.” Currently part of the Milwaukee Bucks, he has a fascinating personal history and an impressive athletic career. While this name remains uncommon in the US, Antetokounmpo has inspired more parents than ever before to consider it for their sons.

GIOVANI, GIOVANNI

An impeccable Italian heritage pick, Giovanni is as tied to Italy as spaghetti and meatballs. The spelling Giovani is popular with Spanish and Portuguese speakers, and English-language phoentic spellings like Jovanni also appear on this list.

HAN, HANN, HANS, HANSEL

All of those Johannes names makes Hans a perfectly logical form of John. Han, of course, brings to mind Han Solo – proof that the name John can endure in every galaxy. And Hansel is a child in a fairy tale. But Hans? Plenty of real and fictional Hans come to mind, from beloved Danish children’s author Hans Christian Andersen to the villian of Die Hard, Hans Gruber.

IANTO

It seems like a stretch from John, but many forms of the name start with an I. In Welsh, Ianto developed as a nickname. Given the continued use of Ian, it doesn’t look like such a leap.

IEFAN, IEUAN, IFAN, IOAN, IWAN

More forms of the name, especially in Wales – though Iwan is a Polish form of Ivan. Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd makes at least one form of the name familiar-ish. He pronounces his name like yo-ahn.

IVAN, YVAN

If John a generic name for an English-speaker, then Ivan often serves the same role for Russian or other Slavic people. (Though Ivan isn’t the only Slavic form of the name.) It’s had a good run in the US, too. Worth noting: Ivan is sometimes pronounced with a long E: ee vahn, almost like Yvonne. American English speakers tend to say this name with an I, like eye-van. 

IVANO

Import Ivan back into Italian? And it’s Ivano.

IVO

This is typically considered a cousin to Yves and other names referring to the yew tree. (There are more than you might imagine.) But it’s also a logical nickname for Ivan, partically in some Slavic countries.

JAN, JANNE, JANOS

It’s typically feminine in English, but for more of Europe, Jan is a go-to choice for a boy. If you know your 1960s surf rock, it’s also Jan Berry, of Jan and Dean fame.

JENS

We tend to think of Jenny exclusively as a nickname for Jennifer. Except Jenny predates Jennifer … because it was originally a nickname for Jane. Likewise, Jens is associated with John in Scandinavian languages.

JANSEN, JENSEN

Surname names associated with John are plentiful, including Jansen and Jensen.

JAX, JAXX

A creative refresh for Jack, inspired by the surname spelling Jaxon and Jaxson.

JAXSON

Speaking of Jaxson, this isn’t a spelling traditionally found in the phone book, but it has had a good run in the US recently.

JEAN

In medieval French, Iohannes eventually became Jehan.  Jehan contracted even more to Jean, which long stood as the most popular name for boys in France. Like John in the United States (and England), it’s fallen dramatically since then. But it remains quintessentially French, particularly in combinations. Think philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau or fictional character Jean-Luc Picard.

JIOVANNI, JOVANI, JOVANNI

Phonetic spelling of Giovanni used in the US.

JOÃO

The Portuguese form of John, pronounced with a beguiling slide through all three vowels: jho wow, more or less. Unlike most countries, this form of John remains popular in Portugal as well as Brazil.

JOAN

Americans hear it as a feminine form, but Joan is just as easily considered masculine. Acclaimed Spanish artist Joan Mirómight be the most famous figure in recent years. Born in Barcelona, Miro’s first name is a typical Catalan form of John, rather than Juan, the more typical Spanish form.

JOCK

A Scottish nickname for John, similar to Jack. Disney fans might think of the Scottish terrier called Jock in Lady and the Tramp. More recently, Jock has been the (American) pilot to fictional archeologist Indiana Jones. (And he’s since opened up his own bar in the Disney Springs resort area, called Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar.)

JOHAN

It doesn’t seem obvious to get to John from Ioannes, but factor in Johannes and then Johan  … and suddenly John makes all the sense in the world. In Scandinavian languages and Dutch, Johan remained in use.

JOOP

Here’s a fun form: Joop! It’s used for both Johannes/Johan and Jozef in German and Dutch. It’s sometimes a surname, too, as in German fashion designer Wolfgang Joop, probably best known in the US for his signature fragrances. 

JOHNATHAN

Another spelling of Jonathan, influenced by John.

JOHNNIE, JOHNNY

Old school nickname name with plenty of appeal now. It’s got a certain 1950s energy, all black leather jacket and radio. Think Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Good.” Berry borrowed the name from musician and frequent collaborator Johnnie Johnson.

JON

A mini name take on John, traditional in plenty of languages. Just like Han Solo took this name to the stars, Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow carries it to Westeros.

JONES

An upbeat surname borrowed from John that’s never quite caught on, but has plenty of potential.

JOVAN

Another Slavic form of the name, midway between Johannes and Ivan.

JUAN

The enduring Spanish form of the name, worn by saints and kings. Like Jean, it’s often heard as part of a double name. Think race car driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Nicknames like Juanito are heard, too. Given the many forms of Spanish spoken across the globe, doubtless I’m missing more short forms.

SEAN, SHAUN, SHAWN

Kelly green Sean is a staple for Irish-American parents, and has been for nearly a century. The name debuted in the US Top 1000 in 1943. This spelling probably came to Ireland via the French Jehan and Jean. Shawn and Shaun are also heard. (Fun fact: actor Sean Bean was born Shaun Bean. His last name rhymes with keen. It’s visually tempting to rhyme his stage name, isn’t it?)

SHANE

One more Irish import. 1953 Western movie Shane boosted the name in the US. American actor Alan Ladd played the mysterious gunfighter; if the character had Irish roots it was never mentioned. But it’s authentically Irish. Just ask fans of the Irish Celtic punk band The Pogues, led for years by the charismatic Shane MacGowan.

VAN, VANNI, VANYA

There are plenty of possible origins for Van, but one of them? All those Ivan and Giovanni names.

XAN, ZAN

Like Van, Xan and Zan can come from lots of places. Depending on your pronciation, the Z or Xan or Zan could sound quite close to a JH. Try to say Jean the French way, and this clicks.

YAN, YANNICK

One more logical way to spell Jan, as well as an obvious diminutive in some European languages.

YANCY, YANCEY

Mostly Dutch, this surname can come from Jansen. 

YANIS, YANNI, YANNIS, YIANNIS

A Greek form of John, made famous by composer and keyboardist Yanni. The New Age musician was born Yiannis. 

NAMES FOR GIRLS

Plenty of feminine forms of John rank in the current US Top 1000.

Gianna, Jane, and Joanna are all broadly familiar. 

Plenty of options, including Jan, Joan, and Jane, easily cross from the girls’ to the boys’ list and back again, depending on language and era.

IS JOHN STILL THE MOST POPULAR NAME FOR BOYS?

In the strictest sense, the four-letter name John continues to fade in use. If we want to honor John Lennon, we choose his surname. Parents seeking to show their Italian roots are more like to choose Giovanni or Jovanni, not John – even if their great-grandfather did the opposite when he arrived in the US.

And yet, these many variations of the name John that are heard, in the US and across the world, suggest that John remains the most broadly influential choice for our sons, many years after leaving the Top Ten.

What’s your favorite form of John?

This post was originally published on May 15, 2015. It was revised on January 13, 2025.