A 1920s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Jack since 1880
Babies named Jack per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,684 |
| 1890s | 4,635 |
| 1900s | 9,222 |
| 1910s | 49,526 |
| 1920s | 115,983 |
| 1930s | 96,396 |
| 1940s | 73,919 |
| 1950s | 62,387 |
| 1960s | 35,593 |
| 1970s | 18,562 |
| 1980s | 15,944 |
| 1990s | 37,501 |
| 2000s | 95,512 |
| 2010s | 85,695 |
| 2020s | 53,384 |
Meaning & origin
No name in English is more thoroughly woven into the language itself, jack-of-all-trades, jackpot, lumberjack, every man jack, a legacy of the centuries when Jack was the default name for an Englishman. It started as a chain of medieval nicknames for John and has spent seven hundred years outgrowing the parent name.
In American data, Jack peaked in 1927, in the company of Dempsey and Benny, then spent the postwar decades in slow retreat as formal names crowded out nickname-names. The revival that began in 1985 has restored it to No. 15 as of 2025, with about 1 in every 195 boys, nearly all of them Jack on the birth certificate rather than John underneath.
Its geography is the most concentrated New England profile on the boys' chart: Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts post the top rankings. Parents choosing Jack today tend to build whole sibling sets in the same key, Lucy, Molly, Henry, Charlie, short classics with the starch washed out.
Jack began as a medieval English nickname chain: John became Jankin (Jan plus the diminutive -kin), which wore down to Jackin and finally Jack, attested since the thirteenth century. The often-heard derivation from French Jacques, which would make it a form of Jacob rather than John, is folk etymology that most scholars reject. Medieval Jack was so common it became English shorthand for any man at all, fossilized in jack-of-all-trades, lumberjack, and every man jack. As an independent given name it peaked in America in 1927, the era of Jack Dempsey and Jack Benny, then receded as nickname-names fell from mid-century fashion. Its return began in 1985, part of the broader revival of sturdy, informal classics.
Read more: Jack on Wikipedia
Where Jack is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Jack” around the world
Where Jack lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
55
babies in 2024
Ireland
#2
in 2025
New Zealand
#7
in 2025
Quebec
#68
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#10
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jackie
Famous people named Jack
- Jack London · American novelist
- Jack Nicholson · American actor
- Jack Nicklaus · champion golfer
Sibling names for Jack
Names that share Jack's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Lucy, Molly, Nora, Sadie, Charlotte, Ava, Emma, Grace, Allie, April, Beth, Bette, Bonnie, Callie, Daisy, Darcy, Eva, Evie, Faye, Georgia, Holly, Jayne, Jennie, Jill, Josie, June, Kate, Lana, Lexi, Lilly, Madeline, Mae, Paige, Penny, Reese, Rosie, Tessa, Abbe, Abbey, Abbi, Abbie, Ally, Audree, Belle, Bess, Cara, Carlie, Charli, Cher, Cherry, Dolly, Edie, Elle, Emmie, Fay, Gabby, Hollie, Ivey, Janis, Jemma, Joi, Joie, Juli, Katie, Katy, Kaye, Kitty, Lacie, Lanie, Libby, Lilyann, Liz, Liza, Maddie, Maggie, Maisie, Marcie, May, Meg, Merrie, Mickie, Mollie, Nan, Nelly, Polly, Robbin, Rosy, Sol, Sommer, Tayla, Tess, Vada, Vicky, Addy, Alli, Alys, Amee, Ammy, Annabeth, Anny, Apryl, Bea, Bebe, Becki, Bee, Bunny, Cady, Calli, Cally, Camelia, Cammie, Cate, Cherri, Darcey, Daysi, December, Dimple, Dot, Ellee, Elly, Emme, Emy, Fae, Flo, Gaby, Gigi, Graci, Haddie, Halee, Izzy, Jacki, Janyce, Jozie, Junie, Kady, Katey, Kloe, Laynie, Lili, Lilie, Lilyan, Lu, Madie, Maisy, Maizy, Mel, Mitzy, Molli, Neely, Nicol, Pippa, Roselee, Rosey, Roxy, Somer, Sunnie, Teddi, Tilly, Tiny, Tommi, Torie, Adelie, Alie, Annagrace, Aprill, Aralynn, Babe, Brin, Cadie, Catie, Cece, Chanie, Char, Chari, Chessie, Cissy, Clary, Cookie, Daizy, Dasie, Deisi, Doll, Elize, Ellagrace, Ellieanna, Enna, Evee, Evey, Florie, Ginna, Girl, Glee, Glori, Graycee, Hally, Happy, Ivalee, Jaynie, Jenne, Jenney, Jessye, Jinger, Jocie, Joei, Josi, Judee, July, Katty, Katye, Lilley, Lilybeth, Lizzy, Ma, Maddi, Maddy, Madi, Maggi, Maggy, Maisey, Masie, Matty, Mckennah, Meggie, Mollee, Nely, Nollie, Peg, Pixie, Pollyanna, Posie, Reesa, Rosaly, Rosi, Rossy, Sissy, Su, Tallie, Wrenn, Addi, Aimy, Allyce, Annlee, Blondie, Caro, Caty, Charie, Charlei, Daysy, Deysy, Didi, Dore, Ellamae, Elliotte, Emie, Emmakate, Evvie, Frankee, Gabbie, Graciemae, Hallee, Halli, Hanny, Hendy, Jackye, Jaine, Jessamy, Jossie, Jozi, Kaitlen, Katti, Klair, Libbi, Lillien, Lilymae, Maevry, Maezie, Maly, Masey, Mee, Nyellie, Pal, Pegge, Prim, Rosealee, Rubby, Sadee, Sadey, Tessy, Vi, Edye, Emmajo, Sophiarose, Abbee, Alle, Ammi, Annaleese, Bellagrace, Betsi, Blossie, Boots, Ceci, Charlii, Cici, Daisee, Daissy, Daisymae, Daizee, Darcee, Dearie, Deicy, Dulcey, Eliz, Ellakate, Ellieann, Elliemay, Ellierose, Elliett, Erine, Francy, Gabbi, Jakki, Janit, Jem, Jimma, Jozy, Jull, Kitti, Lauralie, Libbey, Lil, Lille, Lillymae, Lissy, Lizbett, Lyly, Maicie, Mally, Mane, Marri, Maty, Moni, Rosealie, Rubyrose, Sady, Tabby, Vicy, Winni
Brothers: Henry, Charlie, George, Sam, Finn, Alec, Andy, Beau, Ben, Bill, Bob, Cade, Clay, Cole, Drew, Eddie, Harrison, Jess, Jim, Joe, Knox, Max, Rex, Ted, Tom, Tommy, Will, Barney, Bo, Boone, Brown, Bud, Buddy, Buster, Cal, Cass, Chas, Chuck, Coby, Davis, Dick, Duke, Ed, Evans, Fran, Freddy, Garfield, Hal, Hank, Hardy, Jessy, Jones, Judd, Kale, Lenny, Louie, Lucky, Mac, Mack, Mitch, Nat, Nate, Ned, Nick, Reed, Rob, Robb, Robbie, Robby, Roby, Sid, Sonny, Tad, Toby, Vince, Wes, Wilson, Aj, Bennet, Buck, Chip, Cris, Curley, Dany, Doc, Dutch, Emmit, Geo, Geoff, Jame, Jann, Jhonny, Johny, Jonny, Jr, Link, Mayo, Mick, Micky, Quin, Rafe, Rich, Ritchie, Skip, Tadd, Toy, True, Tyce, Vic, Woody, Acey, Alfie, Budd, Copper, Dom, Edi, Edy, Fitz, Grahm, Hayze, Iann, Jac, Jessey, Josha, Marck, Mart, Mat, Mister, Olliver, Orry, Phill, Roben, Ruddy, Sully, Thom, Timm, Tobe, Wash, Wil, Alic, Auggie, Benji, Benn, Bing, Bow, Brick, Edwar, Gill, Janes, Linc, Pj, Red, Rice, Robi, Shep, Tay, Tobby, Tuck, Winn, Camp, Charlies, Bartt, Benney, Curly, Dare, Dink, Dover, Dub, Eljay, Emett, Graves, Jams, Jas, Jes, Jony, Macky, Mann, Math, Rhyse, Robben, Wilkin, Wise, Wyett
Names like Jack
Names whose popularity has moved with Jack's over the last 50 years.
