יוֹחָנָן

John

boyHebrewChristianJewish

John is a Christian boy name of Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, meaning “God is gracious”.

MeaningGod is gracious
GenderBoy
OriginHebrew, via Greek and Latin
Written asיוֹחָנָן
PronunciationJON
TraditionChristian, Jewish, Modern & Classic
Used inWorldwide

Meaning and origin of John

John comes from Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious', through Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. It is the name of two central New Testament figures, John the Baptist and John the Apostle, traditionally the author of the Fourth Gospel. Its spread through Christian Europe made it one of the most common men's names in history, and it has dozens of forms, from Ivan to Sean. It was borne by many popes and kings.

Is John a Christian name?

John is one of the most important Christian names, borne by John the Baptist and John the Apostle; Yochanan is also a traditional Jewish name, and John the Baptist is honoured in Islam as Yahya.

How popular is John?

Still widely used, though less dominant than in earlier centuries.

Gifts with the name John

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Spellings and variants of John

Names similar to John

More Christian boy names

Frequently asked questions

What does the name John mean?

John means 'God is gracious'. It is of Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin.

Is John a Christian name?

John is one of the most important Christian names, borne by John the Baptist and John the Apostle; Yochanan is also a traditional Jewish name, and John the Baptist is honoured in Islam as Yahya.

How do you pronounce John?

John is pronounced JON.

Is John a boy or girl name?

John is usually a boy name.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.