John
MeaningGod is gracious · Hebrew
- US rank
- #23
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #1 in 1923
8,027 babies were named John in the US in 2025. It has climbed 4 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about John you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous John
John Locke
English philosopher and physician (1632-1704)
Choose John and your child shares a first name with John Locke, an English philosopher and physician. A ready-made answer when someone asks “John, like who?” John Locke's Wikipedia article is available in 209 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about John Locke on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Godfrey Kneller, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 213 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named John, 8,027 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other John.
- HistoryJohn has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Johns, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1923, when it ranked #1. Today it's #23, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowJohn was 2.2× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 98 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 213.
- Where it's lovedJohn is most popular in Alabama, where it ranks #1, followed by Mississippi (#3) and Louisiana (#5). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, John means “God is gracious”.
About the name John
John is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with J and ending in “-ohn”. US birth records list John for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1923, when it ranked #1 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #23, with 8,027 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 82,202 | 12 boys |
| 1890s | 70,757 | 14 boys |
| 1900s | 62,485 | 16 boys |
| 1910s | 56,955 | 18 boys |
| 1920s | 51,194 | 20 boys |
| 1930s | 46,177 | 22 boys |
| 1940s | 47,826 | 21 boys |
| 1950s | 39,630 | 25 boys |
| 1960s | 36,947 | 27 boys |
| 1970s | 24,249 | 41 boys |
| 1980s | 17,450 | 57 boys |
| 1990s | 12,300 | 81 boys |
| 2000s | 8,091 | 124 boys |
| 2010s | 5,461 | 183 boys |
| 2020s | 4,668 | 214 boys |
Other spellings of John
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name John
What does the name John mean?
John means “God is gracious” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name John?
John has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is John a boy or girl name?
John is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name John?
John ranked #23 for US boys in 2025, given to 8,027 babies. Its best year was 1923 (#1).