John
From Middle English John, Johan, Johannes, from Anglo-Norman Jehan, Johan, and also Old English Iohannes, both from Late Latin Iōhannēs, variant of Latin Iōannēs, from…
Every John since 1880 — 5,204,377 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of John
John is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #23 in 2025 with 8,027 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 5,204,377 American babies have been named John. Its peak came in 1947, when 88,527 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where John stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
John year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #13,974 | 8,027 | #23 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,583 | 8,087 | #21 |
| 2023 | 5 | #16,262 | 7,804 | #26 |
| 2022 | 7 | #12,832 | 8,001 | #26 |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,654 | 8,186 | #27 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,652 | 8,265 | #27 |
| 2019 | 14 | #7,922 | 8,863 | #28 |
| 2018 | 14 | #7,941 | 9,204 | #26 |
| 2017 | 10 | #10,295 | 9,536 | #27 |
| 2016 | 12 | #9,123 | 10,060 | #28 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,770 | 10,423 | #26 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8,251 | 10,701 | #26 |
| 2013 | 16 | #7,557 | 10,739 | #27 |
| 2012 | 11 | #10,031 | 10,638 | #28 |
| 2011 | 21 | #6,235 | 11,068 | #27 |
| 2010 | 10 | #10,787 | 11,568 | #26 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,293 | 12,133 | #26 |
| 2008 | 22 | #6,243 | 13,336 | #20 |
| 2007 | 22 | #6,196 | 14,447 | #19 |
| 2006 | 35 | #4,205 | 15,177 | #19 |
| 2005 | 37 | #3,909 | 15,796 | #18 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2,408 | 16,470 | #17 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4,349 | 17,249 | #17 |
| 2002 | 21 | #5,562 | 17,477 | #17 |
| 2001 | 32 | #3,981 | 18,904 | #14 |
| 2000 | 27 | #4,467 | 20,115 | #14 |
| 1995 | 45 | #2,701 | 23,244 | #13 |
| 1990 | 81 | #1,786 | 29,089 | #12 |
| 1985 | 233 | #744 | 31,502 | #9 |
| 1980 | 251 | #689 | 35,274 | #8 |
| 1975 | 231 | #658 | 35,079 | #7 |
| 1970 | 290 | #601 | 58,491 | #4 |
| 1965 | 252 | #614 | 71,493 | #2 |
| 1960 | 244 | #646 | 76,096 | #4 |
| 1955 | 185 | #690 | 80,128 | #5 |
| 1950 | 180 | #638 | 79,412 | #3 |
| 1945 | 197 | #520 | 66,117 | #3 |
| 1940 | 208 | #463 | 54,786 | #3 |
| 1935 | 208 | #449 | 47,509 | #3 |
| 1930 | 402 | #327 | 52,447 | #3 |
| 1925 | 367 | #355 | 57,195 | #2 |
| 1920 | 281 | #395 | 56,913 | #1 |
| 1915 | 200 | #430 | 47,576 | #1 |
| 1910 | 88 | #422 | 11,450 | #1 |
| 1905 | 43 | #521 | 8,059 | #1 |
| 1900 | 46 | #502 | 9,828 | #1 |
| 1895 | 61 | #360 | 8,320 | #1 |
| 1890 | 56 | #344 | 8,502 | #1 |
| 1885 | 45 | #297 | 8,756 | #1 |
| 1880 | 46 | #229 | 9,655 | #1 |
Famous people named John
- John the Baptist Religious figure · -20–31
- John Locke Philosopher · 1632–1704
- John F. Kennedy Politician · 1917–1963
- John Calvin Religious figure · 1509–1564
- John Lennon Musician · 1940–1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name John mean?
From Middle English John, Johan, Johannes, from Anglo-Norman Jehan, Johan, and also Old English Iohannes, both from Late Latin Iōhannēs, variant of Latin Iōannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Biblical Hebrew יוֹחָנָן…
How popular is the name John in 2025?
John ranked #23 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8,027 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named John?
5,204,377 babies have been named John in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name John most popular?
John peaked in 1947, when 88,527 newborns received the name.
Is John a boy or girl name?
John is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name John rising or falling?
John is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named John?
Well-known people named John include John the Baptist (religious figure), John Locke (philosopher), John F. Kennedy (politician).