John (given name)
John is a very common male name in the English language, ultimately of Hebrew origin.
The English form is from Middle English Ioon, Ihon, Iohn, Jan, itself from Old French Jan, Jean, Jehan, from Medieval Latin Johannes, an altered form of Late Latin Ioannes. The Middle English personal name may also derive directly from Medieval Latin, which is from the Greek name Ioannis, originally borne by Jews transliterating the Hebrew name Yochanan, the contracted form of the longer name , meaning "God is Gracious" or "God is Merciful". There are numerous forms of the name in various languages; these were formerly often simply translated as "John" in English but are increasingly left in their native forms. The name Jonathan derives from a distinct Biblical name ''Yonatan.
The name is among the most commonly given names in the Anglophone, Arabic, European, Latin American, Iranian, and Turkic countries. Traditionally in the Anglosphere, it was the most common, although it has not been since the latter half of the 20th century.
John owes its unique popularity to two highly revered saints, John the Baptist and the apostle John ; the name has since been chosen as the regnal or religious name of many emperors, kings, popes and patriarchs. Initially, it was a favorite name among the Greeks, but it flourished in all of Europe after the First Crusade.
Origins
The name John is a theophoric name originating from the Hebrew name , or in its longer form , meaning "God has been gracious". Several obscure figures in the Old Testament bore this name, and it grew in popularity once borne by the high priest Johanan and especially by King John Hyrcanus In the Second Temple period, it was the fifth most popular male name among Jews in Judaea and was borne by several important rabbis, such as Yochanan ben Zakai and Yochanan ben Nuri.Germanic derivatives
The Germanic languages, including German, English and Scandinavian produced the masculine JohannJohn was the most popular name given to male infants in the United States until 1924, and though its use has fallen off gradually since then, John was still the 20th most common name for boys on the Social Security Administration's list of the names given in 2006.
John was also among the most common masculine names in the United Kingdom, but by 2004 it had fallen out of the top 50 names for newborn boys in England and Wales.
By contrast Jack, which was a nickname for John but is now established as a name in its own right, was the most popular name given to newborn boys in England and Wales every year from 1995 to 2005. It is also the third most common name in the United States, with an estimated 3.18 million individuals as of 2021 according to the Social Security Administration.
In other languages
| Language | Masculine form | Feminine form |
| Afrikaans | Jan, Johan, Johann, Johannes, Hannes, Hans | Hanna, Jana, Janke, Johanna |
| Adyghe | Иуан | |
| Albanian | Gjon, Gjin, Joan, Jovan, Jani | Gjonika, Joana, Jovana, Jana |
| Alemmanic | Hans, Hannes, Hansli, Hänsli, Housi, Jänu | |
| Alsatian | Schàngi | |
| Amharic | ዮሐንስ | |
| Arabic | يحيى, يوحنا or حنّا | |
| Aragonese | Chuan | Chuana |
| Armenian | Հովհաննես ; Օհաննես ; Classical Armenian: Յովհաննէս | |
| Assyrian | ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ, Yukhannan, Yokhanna | |
| Asturian | Xuan | Xuana |
| Azerbaijani | Yəhya | |
| Basque | Manez, Ganix, Joanes, Iban | Ibane, Jone |
| Bavarian | Hans, Hanse, Hansi, Hansl, Hannas | |
| Belarusian | Іван, Ян, Янка, Янэк, Ясь | Івонка, Янiна |
| Bangla | ইয়াহিয়া, জনি, হান্নান | |
| Breton | Yann, Yannig | Jan, Janig, Yannez |
| Bulgarian | Иван, Йоан, Янко, Яне | Ивана, Иванка, Йоана, Яна, Янка |
| Burmese | ယောဟန် | |
| Catalan | Joan, Jan, Ivan | Joana, Jana, Janna, Ivana |
| Cherokee | ᏣᏂ | |
| Chinese | ||
| Chinese | 約翰 | |
| Chinese | 約翰 | |
| Coptic | ⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ, ⲓⲱⲁ | |
| Cornish | Jowan, Jan | |
| Corsican | Ghjuvanni | Ghjuvanna |
| Croatian | Ivan, Ivanko, Ive, Ivek, Ivica, Ivo, Janko, Vanja, Jan | Iva, Ivana, Ivanka, Vanja, Jana |
| Czech | Jan, Honza, Hanuš | Jana, Johana, Johanka |
| Danish | Hans, Jens, Jan, Johan, John, Johannes | Hanne, Johanne |
| Dagbani | Jɔn | |
| Dawan | Yohanes | Yohana |
| Dholuo | Johana | |
| Dutch | Han, Hannes, Hans, Jan, Jo, Johan, Johannes, Jannes, Jens, Wannes, Sjeng | Hanne, Hanna, Hannah, Jana, Janke, Janne, Jannie/Janny, Janneke, Jannetje, Jantje, Jo, Johanna |
| Emiliano-Romagnolo | Guiàn, Zvan | |
| English | Johnny, Jack, Shawn/Shaun, Shane, Jan | Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Joann, Jan, Jane, Jayne, Jayna, Janet, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeane, Jeanne, Jeannie, Shany |
| Estonian | Jaan, Juhan, Juho, Janno, Jukk, Jaanus, Johannes, Hannes, Hans | Jaana, Johanna |
| Esperanto | Johano | |
| Extremaduran | Huan | |
| Faroese | Jann, Janus, Jens, Jenis, Jóan, Jóannes, Jónar, Jógvan, Jóhann, Jóhannes, Hannis, Hanus, Hans | |
| Fijian | Jone, Ioane | |
| Filipino | Juan, John, Sean, Shawn, Ivan, Evan, Ian, Hans; diminutives: Jan, Jon, Jack, Jonel, Janjan, Johnny, Banban, Yanyan | Juana, Jean, Joan, Joanne, Joanna, Johanna, Jane, Shane, Janice, Janis, Janet; diminutives: Jana, Janelle, Jian, Jenjen, Nanna, Shin, Nenet |
| Finnish | Johannes, Jonni, Jussi, Janne, Jani, Juho, Juha, Juhana, Juhani, Jukka, Hannes, Hannu, Joni, Jonne | Johanna, Joanna, Jonna, Janette, Janna, Jaana, Hanna, Hanne |
| French | Jean, Yoann, Jan, Jehan | Jeanne, Jeannette, Jane, Jehane |
| Friulian | Zuan, Nani, Neto, Zan, Zaneto | Zuane, Gjovane, Joane, Nane, Zuanine |
| Galician | Xoán, Xan | Xoana |
| Ge'ez | ዮሐንስ | |
| Georgian | იოანე, ივანე, იოვანე, ვანო, ივა | |
| German | Hannes, Hans, Johann, Johannes, Jan, Hanno, Jens, Jannik | Jana, Janina, Johanna, Hanna, Hanne |
| Greek | Ιωάννης, Γιάννης | Ιωάννα, Γιάννα |
| Greenlandic | Juaanasi, Juaansi | |
| Guaraní | Huã | |
| Gujarati | યોહાન | |
| Hawaiian | Keoni, ʻIoane | |
| Hausa | Yahaya | |
| Hebrew | יוחנן, יהוחנן | יוחנה Johanna |
| Hindi | यूहन्ना, Yohana, Ayan | |
| Hmong | Yauhas | |
| Hungarian | János, Jani, Jancsi, Iván | Johanna, Hanna, Zsanett, Janka, Ivána |
| Icelandic | Jóhann, Jóhannes, Jón, Hannes | Jóhanna |
| Igbo | Jọn | |
| Indonesian/Malay | Iwan, Yahya, Yan, Yaya, Johan, Yohanes, Yuan, John | Yohana, Yana, Hana |
| Interlingua | Luan | Luana |
| Irish | Seán, Eoin | Seána, Seona, Síne, Sinéad, Siobhán, Siún |
| Italian | Gianni, Giovanni, Vanni, Nino, Vannino | Giovanna, |
| Jèrriais | Jeaun | |
| Japanese | , | |
| Javanese | Yohanes, Yokanan | |
| Kannada | ಯೋಹಾನನು | |
| Kazakh | Жақия, Шоқан | |
| Khmer | យ៉ូហាន | |
| Kikuyu | Johana, Yoane | |
| Korean | 요한 | |
| Kyrgyz | Жакан, Жакыя, Жаныш, Жунус | |
| Kristang | Juang | |
| Kupang Malay | Yohanis | Yohana |
| K'iche' | Xwan | Xwa'n |
| Lao | ໂຢຮັນ | |
| Latgalian | Juoņs | |
| Latvian | Jānis, Janis, Jancis, Janka, Jans, Jāns, Jānuss, Jānušs, Jonass, Žans, Žanis, Džons, Džonijs, Džanni, Džovanni, Ians, Īans, Džeks, Šeins, Johans, Hans, Hanss, Ansis, Johaness, Johanness, Johanāns, Haness, Hanness, Ivans, Aivans, Aivens, Aiens | Jana, Janīna, Janīne, Džoana, Džoanna, Džanīna, Dženeta, Johanna, Hanna, Anna |
| Limburgish | Jan, Johan, Joannes, Hens, Hannes, Sjang | |
| Lithuanian | Jonas, Žanas, Ivanas | Janina, Janė, Joana, Žana, Ivana |
| Livonian | Jōņ, Jōņi, Jāņ, Jāņi | |
| Lombard | Giuàn | |
| Luxembourgish | Gehan, Gehanes, Haans, Jann, Jang, Jean | |
| Macedonian | Јован, Јованче, Иван, Јане | Јована, Јованка, Ивана, Иванка, Јана |
| Malagasy | Jaona, Joany | |
| Malayalam | യോഹന്നാൻ ഉലഹന്നാൻ ലോനപ്പൻ നയിനാ൯,Johnichan | |
| Maltese | Ġwanni, Ġanni, Ġann, Ġovann, Ġovanni, Vanni | Ġanna, Ġovanna, Ġannina |
| Mandaic | Yuhana | |
| Manx | Juan, Ean | |
| Māori | Hoani, Hōne | |
| Marathi | योहान | |
| Meitei | ꯖꯣꯍꯥꯟꯅꯥ, ꯖꯣꯍꯥꯟ | |
| Mongolian | Иохан | |
| Montenegrin | Ivan, Janko, Jovan | |
| Navajo | Jáan | |
| Nepali | यूहन्ना | |
| Norwegian | Johan, Johannes, John, Jon, Jan, Hans | |
| Northern Sami | Jovnna, Juhán | |
| Occitan | Joan | |
| Persian | یوحنا, یحیی, جان, جهان | |
| Piedmontese | Gioann | |
| Polish | Jan, Janusz, Janek, Janko, Jaś, Jasiek, Jasiu, Janik, Jancio, Januszek, Janiczek, Janeczek | Janina, Jana, Janka, Jasia, Jaśka, Joanna, Żaneta, Żanna |
| Portuguese | João | Joana |
| Punjabi | ਯੂਹੰਨਾ | |
| Quechua | Huwan | |
| Romanian | Ioan, Ion, Ionuț, Ionel, Ionică, Nelu, Iancu | Ioana, Ionela |
| Romansh | Gian, Giovannes | |
| Russian | Иван, Иоанн | |
| Samoan | Ioane | Ioana |
| Samogitian | Juons | |
| Sardinian | Giuanni, Giuanne, Zuvanne, Zuanne, Nanni, Nanneddu | |
| Scots | Jock, Euan/Ewen/Ewan | Shona |
| Scottish Gaelic | Iain, Eòin, Seathan, Shean | Seòna, Seònag, Seònaid, Siubhan, Sìne |
| Serbian | Ivan, Janko, Jovan, Jovica, Vanja | Jovana, Jovanka, Vanja |
| Shona | Johani | |
| Sicilian | Giuvanni, Giuanni | Giuvanna, Giuanna |
| Sinhala | ජුවාම්, යොහාන් | |
| Slovak | Ján, Johan | Jana, Johana |
| Slovene | Janez, Anže, Janž, Ivan, Johan, Ivo, Janko | Jana, Ivana, Ivanka, Johanca |
| Somali | Yaxye | |
| Sorbian | Jan | |
| Spanish | Juan, Joan, Giovanni, Iván, Nino | Juana, Joana, Giovanna, Ivana, Nina |
| Swahili | Yohana | |
| Swedish | Jan, Johan, Johannes, John, Hans, Hannes, Jöns | Johanna, Hanna |
| Sylheti | ইয়াহিয়া, জনি, হান্নান | |
| Syriac | ܝܘܚܢܢ, ܚܢܐ, ܐܝܘܢ | |
| Tagalog | Juan, Dyon | |
| Tajik | Яҳьё | |
| Tamil | யோவான் | |
| Telugu | యెాహాను Yohanu | యెాహన్న Yohanna |
| Thai | ยอห์น | |
| Tigrinya | ዮሓንስ | |
| Tongan | Sione | |
| Turkish | Yahya, Yuhanna | |
| Turkmen | Ёханна | |
| Ukrainian | Іван, Іванко, Івась, Ян, Ясь, Ваньо | Іванна, Іванка, Яна |
| Urdu | یوحنا | |
| Uzbek | Yahyo | |
| Valencian | Joan | Joana |
| Venetian | Joàni, Xan, Xane, Zuane | |
| Vietnamese | Dương, Giăng, Gioan | |
| Walloon | Jan, Djihan | |
| Welsh | Evan, Ianto, Ieuan, Ifan, Ioan, Iwan, Siôn | Siân, Sioned, Siwan |
| West Frisian | Jannes, Jenne | |
| Yiddish | יוחנן | |
| Yoruba | Johanu | |
| Zulu | Johane |