John Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
John is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell John?
John is spelled J-O-H-N. The name has 4 letters.
John at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- John means “Yahweh is gracious” or “God is gracious”, deriving from the Hebrew name Yochanan.
- Origin
- John is commonly associated with Hebrew origins and is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning “Yahweh is gracious.”
- Pronunciation
- jon · 1 syllable
John Popularity in 2025
Rank#13,208
Recorded Births6
Rank#23
Recorded Births8,027
- Girls usage fell 2,086 places to #13,208 and recorded 2 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 2 places to #23 and recorded 60 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name John Mean?
John means “Yahweh is gracious” or “God is gracious”, deriving from the Hebrew name Yochanan.
Origin: John is commonly associated with Hebrew origins and is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning “Yahweh is gracious.”
How Do You Pronounce John?
Pronunciationjon
Syllables1
What Is the History of the Name John?
- History
- The name John has been used historically in various cultures and languages, often appearing in religious and historical texts as a common personal name.
John Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 6 | #13,208 |
| 2025 | Boys | 8,027 | #23 |
| 2024 | Girls | 8 | #11,122 |
| 2024 | Boys | 8,087 | #21 |
| 2023 | Girls | 5 | #15,194 |
| 2023 | Boys | 7,804 | #26 |
| 2022 | Girls | 7 | #12,243 |
| 2022 | Boys | 8,001 | #26 |
| 2021 | Girls | 9 | #10,292 |
| 2021 | Boys | 8,186 | #27 |
| 2020 | Girls | 9 | #10,250 |
| 2020 | Boys | 8,265 | #27 |
| 2019 | Girls | 14 | #7,716 |
| 2019 | Boys | 8,863 | #28 |
| 2018 | Girls | 14 | #7,762 |
| 2018 | Boys | 9,204 | #26 |
| 2017 | Girls | 10 | #9,943 |
| 2017 | Boys | 9,536 | #27 |
| 2016 | Girls | 12 | #8,875 |
| 2016 | Boys | 10,060 | #28 |
| 2015 | Girls | 11 | #9,481 |
| 2015 | Boys | 10,423 | #26 |
| 2014 | Girls | 14 | #8,053 |
| 2014 | Boys | 10,701 | #26 |
When Was John Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1947 · Boys
88,324 recorded births
National rank #3
1952 · Boys
83,140 recorded births
National rank #3
1948 · Boys
82,834 recorded births
National rank #3
1964 · Boys
82,508 recorded births
National rank #2
Where John Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| AL | #1 | 343 |
| MS | #3 | 151 |
| LA | #5 | 181 |
| SC | #6 | 205 |
| DC | #7 | 34 |
| GA | #8 | 369 |
| RI | #9 | 40 |
| DE | #9 | 32 |