The Baby Name Wizard

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Comments and insights on the name John: | Edit

Most boring name ever.

The name John derives via Greek Ἰωάννης Latin Iōhannēs from the Hebrew name יוחנן (Yôḥanan, also transliterated Yochanan), a short form of the long name יְהוֹחָנָן Yehochanan, meaning "Yahweh is merciful". Yochanan was the name of several important rabbis in the Second Temple Period in Israel, such as Yochanan ben Zakai and Yochanan ben Nuri.

Johannes became the Italian Giovanni, the Germanic Johann, the Hungarian János, and the Slavic languages Ivan, Jan, Ján, Honza, Jane and Jovan(Yovan), and Ion in the area on the Black Sea that is now Romania. On the outskirts of the Empire in the newly converted Ireland it became the Irish Eoin. In some cases, the pronunciation of the original initial "Y"/"I" also changed to variants of "J", so that in Iberia the name eventually changed to the Spanish Juan and the medieval Portuguese Juo/Joane (now João) and Ivo. In Gaul, it became the Old French Jehan and later Jean (pronounced /ʒɑ̃/). In the Occitano-Romance area it became Joan (feminine, Joana) and Jan in Occitan and Catalan, from older Iouan and Iohan. In Albanian, Gjon, or either Gjin is used for males. In Welsh, the name John is rendered as Ieuan (pronounced as Yay-an or Yey-an), and as Ifan (pronounced Evan). Ifan eventually became rendered into English as Evan.

Personal experiences with the name John: | Edit

My last name is Jovanovic(Yovanoveech). Jovan is John in Serbian, so my name is Johns or Johnson.

In Serbia, is very common last name Jovanovic, that derived from name Jovan; Jovanovski in MAcedonia; Jovanovici in ROmania;

Nicknames for John: | Edit

Jack, Johnny, Johnner, Johnnie-Boy, John-John, Jackie, Joca, Jovica,(Yotza, Yoveetza in Serbian)

Meanings and history of the name John: | Edit

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Famous real-life people named John: | Edit

John Adams, second president of the United States
John Quincy Adams, sixth president of the United States
John Francis Bongiovi (Jon Bon Jovi), American rock musician
John Brown, abolitionist
John Strachan, The Bishop Strachan Scool in Toronto is named after him
John Cage, American composer
John Cale, Welsh rock musician (Velvet Underground)
John Cleese, member of Monty Python and Nearly Headless Nick from the Harry Potter movies
John Cusack, American actor
Dr. John Dee, physician, astrologer, and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I
John Donne, British preacher and poet
John Dos Passos, "Lost Generation" novelist
John Fogerty, folk-rock musician (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
John Ford, American western director
John Fowles, British author
John Frusciante, American guitarist and singer
John Kenneth Galbraith, economist
John Green, author/blogger
John Huston, American film director and actor
John Keats, British Romantic poet
John F. Kennedy, thirty-fifth president of the United States
John Lennon, member of the Beatles
John Major, British Prime Minister (1990-97)
John Mayer, singer/songwriter/heartthrob
John McCain, U.S. senator and presidential candidate
John McCusker, Scottish folk musician and producer
John Muir, Scottish naturalist, founder of the Sierra Club
John Ritter, American actor/comedian
John Philip Sousa, "The March King," American composer
John Turturro, American actor
John Tyler, tenth president of the United States
John Wayne, actor
John the Baptist
The apostle John
King John I ("Bad King John") of England
Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman (1774 – 1845), American pioneer nurseryman
John Simm, British actor
John Paul Jones, American naval commander of the Revolutionary War (“I have not yet begun to fight!”)... Also the name of a member of Led Zeppelin
John Krasinski, Actor
John Travolta, Actor
John Cena, Professional Wrestler
John Updike; novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic
John Denver, country/folk singer-songwriter
John O'Callaghan (Ohhh), lead singer of the band The Maine
John Noe, creative director for The Leaky Cauldron website

John in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Uncle John's Band" -- Grateful Dead song
"Beautiful John" -- by Madder Rose
"Big Bad John" -- Jimmy Dean song
Nursery rhyme: Diddle, diddle, dumpling, my son John (went to bed with his stockings on...)
John-Boy Walton, from the television show "The Waltons".
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Sir John Falstaff, Shakespearean character
Little John (John Little), Robin Hood's chief sidekick
John Jones, a.k.a. J'onn J'onzz, secret identity of Martian Manhunter in DC comics
John Rambo
Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, from Stargate Atlantis
John Dawlish, a character in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling