John
God is gracious · Hebrew origin
What does John mean?
John is a male name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is gracious”.
How popular is John?
In England & Wales, John ranked #164 among boys' names in 2024, with 304 babies given the name — down from #101 in 2014. Its strongest year in the England & Wales series is 1996, when it reached #46.
In the United States, John was the #27 boys' name in the 2020 data, after peaking at #1 in 1880.
The two territories disagree about John: #27 in the US against #164 in England & Wales — a markedly more American choice.
| Year | E&W rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #46 | 1,649 |
| 2000 | #58 | 1,096 |
| 2005 | #72 | 946 |
| 2010 | #94 | 690 |
| 2015 | #108 | 594 |
| 2020 | #150 | 361 |
| 2024 | #164 | 304 |
Who are famous people named John?
- John F. Kennedy · president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)
- Charles Dickens · English novelist and social critic (1812–1870)
- John Locke · English philosopher and physician (1632-1704)
What names go well with John?
More on John
Elizabeth: a nickname for every mood — John gets a mention.
Swipe & match on John in Settle