John
How to say it: JON · /ˈdʒɑn/
God is gracious — from the Hebrew Yohanan, via Greek Ioannes and Latin Johannes.
John was the 26th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 8,027 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 23% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #32 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #26 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 8,027 |
| Share of births | 1 in 400 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −23% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #32 |
| In France, 2025 | #561 among boys’ names, 55 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once dominant in the 1880s, John has thinned greatly since. It rests far beneath that summit and is set to decline a bit more.
What goes with it
Short and solid in a single beat, it feels strong and familiar across lands. Johnny serves as a longer form and Thomas aligns in style.
Middle names that flow with John →
Nicknames
- Johnny
- Jack
Honouring a John in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called John is about 1 in 17.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, English, Finnish, French, Greek, Hebrew, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #561 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #174. Ireland: #29.
Famous people named John
- John F. Kennedy (1917–1963)President of the United States from 1961 to 1963
- John Locke (1632–1704)English philosopher and physician
- John Adams (1735–1826)Founding Father, U.S. president from 1797 to 1801
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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