Declining since 1985, #23 for boys today.
Popularity of John since 1880
Babies named John per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1947, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, John's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 89,949 |
| 1890s | 80,664 |
| 1900s | 84,590 |
| 1910s | 376,311 |
| 1920s | 564,052 |
| 1930s | 487,950 |
| 1940s | 711,614 |
| 1950s | 797,922 |
| 1960s | 713,394 |
| 1970s | 402,612 |
| 1980s | 321,150 |
| 1990s | 240,151 |
| 2000s | 161,104 |
| 2010s | 102,800 |
| 2020s | 48,370 |
Meaning & origin
No American boys' name has a longer run at the top than John. It was the country's most common male name from 1880, the first year of federal records and, statistically, its peak, into the early 1920s, and for centuries before that it had been the default male name of the English-speaking world.
The modern numbers describe a slow glide rather than a fall from grace. John has been declining since 1985, yet it still ranked No. 23 in 2025, when roughly one in every 213 boys received it, a level most names never reach at their peak. Its resilience owes much to tradition: juniors, family names, and the enduring appeal of Jack as a built-in nickname.
Geographically the name now skews Southern, running strongest in Alabama and Mississippi, with Wyoming rounding out its top states. Parents drawn to it today tend to pair it with equally grounded classics, a sibling set of John, Mary, and James reads as deliberate, not dated.
John descends from Hebrew Yochanan ('Yahweh is gracious') by way of Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes, arriving in English through Old French Jehan. Two towering New Testament figures, John the Baptist and John the Apostle, made it a fixture of Christian Europe, and from the thirteenth century onward it was among the most common male names in England, generating the nickname Jack (via the medieval pet form Jankin) and surnames like Johnson and Jones. In America it sat at No. 1 from 1880, the first year of federal records, into the early 1920s, and it has never left the upper ranks since.
Read more: John on Wikipedia
Where John 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.
“John” around the world
Where John lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
55
babies in 2024
Ireland
#29
in 2025
New Zealand
#88
in 2025
Quebec
26
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Johnny, Jack, Jay
Famous people named John
- John Adams · second president of the United States
- John F. Kennedy · 35th president of the United States
- John Lennon · singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Beatles
Sibling names for John
Names that share John's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Anne, Catherine, Ann, Bernadette, Carol, Christy, Clare, Dawn, Debbie, Debra, Diane, Jane, Janice, Jayne, Joann, Joy, Judith, Judy, Linda, Maria, Martha, Maryann, Sandra, Susan, Teresa, Toni, Annamae, Annamarie, Barbra, Catharine, Charity, Christene, Cinthia, Dona, Georganne, Janis, Jannette, Jeanna, Joellen, Johnette, Johnna, Joi, Jonette, Kathern, Kathi, Kathie, Kathrine, Leeann, Lisamarie, Lizabeth, Mariann, Maribeth, Marry, Maryanne, Marybeth, Maryellen, Maryjane, Nanci, Roseann, Ruthann, Susanna, Suzan, Tena, Terese, Therese, Tonia, Anglea, Annah, Annmarie, Bell, Bethann, Betsey, Christeen, Christena, Female, Georgann, Jackqueline, Janee, Janeth, Janett, Janise, Janyce, Jeane, Jene, Joeann, Johannah, Johna, Joye, Kathey, Kathyrn, Leonia, Loree, Loriann, Magdaline, Manda, Margarett, Margrett, Marjean, Maryalice, Maryan, Marye, Maryelizabeth, Marykate, Marylin, Marylouise, Maye, Phyliss, Raeann, Ruthanne, Ruthe, Sueann, Susann, Tereasa, Terresa, Theressa, Thresa, Tomie, Angila, Anjeanette, Anmarie, Aprile, Barbaraann, Betti, Betzy, Carolanne, Catherin, Cathern, Clyda, Cynitha, Cythia, Donnalee, Donnamarie, Evah, Evangelia, Faithe, Faythe, Girl, Graceann, Graceanne, Jacklin, Janalee, Jannell, Jannett, Jeanann, Joane, Joeanna, Joice, Jonica, Joretta, Josepha, Joyann, Kristee, Laurieann, Louellen, Magalene, Mame, Maree, Margeret, Marrie, Marybel, Maryclaire, Maryhelen, Maryjean, Marykathryn, Marykay, Nancey, Nancye, Patrecia, Patrisha, Pecolia, Rosary, Salley, Sallye, Sammye, Sueanne, Suzzanne, Tresia, Annamary, Annet, Barbarann, Cathe, Catrena, Chrisanne, Debraann, Dejuana, Donne, Edla, Emmajane, Evva, Faithann, Jackquelyn, Jaine, Jancie, Janda, Janeah, Janeene, Janifer, Jannet, Jannetta, Jeanell, Jeania, Jeaninne, Joanette, Joeleen, Johnda, Jolane, Joletta, Jomarie, Junice, Justa, Kathlean, Kathye, Leslieann, Loann, Maedell, Maie, Man, Mare, Margaretann, Margaretmary, Marieann, Marikay, Marilouise, Marjo, Maryclare, Maryln, Marymargaret, Marynell, Maryrose, Maryruth, Matha, Patrici, Roann, Rosene, Rozann, Susa, Susen, Terasa, Teresea, Teresia, Theresea, Thresia, Loisann, Lucyann, Macrina, Merie, Ninamarie, Thresea, Agape, Annye, Barbee, Bettymae, Bevely, Cathyann, Christean, Debbrah, Deborahann, Dorothyann, Eliz, Elizebath, Georgean, Hopie, Janann, Janeann, Janiene, Janit, Jeananne, Jeanita, Jennet, Joanmarie, Johnnette, Josanna, Joyanne, Judianne, Julann, Karenann, Kateryn, Kathrene, Kathyann, Laurey, Lysbeth, Magdelene, Marg, Margeart, Marigrace, Marijean, Maripat, Marisue, Marsheila, Marylynne, Noele, Rosemae, Rubylee, Ruthmary, Terryann, Therasa, Therisa, Thersea, Vicke, Zoeann
Brothers: James, William, Thomas, Henry, Charles, Joseph, Donald, Jean, Jeff, Jim, Joan, Mike, Paul, Peter, Ray, Rick, Simon, Tony, Antone, Brigham, Dian, Ed, Gean, Little, Pete, Toney, Zebedee, Christ, General, Green, Jame, Jann, Joeseph, Johny, Male, Wm, Young, Andreus, Boy, Bright, Hansford, Jac, Judas, Keene, Lonn, Mathews, Pleas, Richrd, Rickard, Robet, Robt, Rohn, Son, Thomes, Watt, Angelgabriel, Bond, Flem, Janes, Joseth, Josph, Larwence, Mitcheal, Press, Ricke, Sims, Willim, Bishoy, Bunyan, Capers, Jams, Jefferie, Joeph, Lc, Pastor, Thomos, Thos, Wing
Names like John
Names whose popularity has moved with John's over the last 50 years.
