What Does the Name John Mean?
John is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning “Yahweh is gracious.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | John |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Origin | Hebrew |
| Meaning | Yahweh is gracious |
| Variants | Jon, Johnny, Jack, Sean, Ian |
| Popularity | The most popular US boys' name for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; still consistently in the US top 30. |
The meaning and origin of John
The name John means “Yahweh is gracious” and has Hebrew origins. English form of the Hebrew name Yochanan, borne by John the Baptist and the apostle John, which made it one of the most enduring Christian names in the Western world. It remained among the most common English male names for centuries.
Variants and related names
John is related to several other names you may recognize: Jon, Johnny, Jack, Sean, Ian. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name John?
The most popular US boys' name for much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries; still consistently in the US top 30.
Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name John below.
Generate a fake John profile
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name John mean?+
The name John means “Yahweh is gracious” and is of Hebrew origin.
What is the origin of the name John?+
John originates from Hebrew.
Is John a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how John has trended in the US over time.
John by gender
More boy's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press