Jack
JAK /dʒæk/
Meaning of Jack
Jack began as a medieval English nickname for John (via the diminutive Jankin → Jackin → Jack). It has been used as an independent given name since at least the 16th century — Shakespeare uses it as both a nickname and a stand-alone name. The shared etymology with John means it inherits John's underlying Hebrew meaning ('Yahweh is gracious').
Current popularity of Jack
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #19 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #3 |
Cultural notes
Has been UK top-10 every year since 1995, longer than almost any other boys' name.
Notable bearers of Jack
Jack London (author); Jack Nicholson; Jack Kerouac.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Jack — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
- https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
- https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/datasets/babynamesenglandandwalesbabynamesstatisticsgirls
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31