John
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Pronunciation: ipa: /d͡ʒɒn/
ipa: /d͡ʒɑn/
rhymes: -ɒn
Forms: form: Johns
form: Jon
form: Joh.
Etymology: 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 (Yôḥānān), perhaps contracted from a former יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān, “God is gracious”).
Doublet of Jack, Jon, Johan, Johann, Johannes, Jean, Sean, Shane, Shaun, Ian, Ivan, Evan, Juan, Giovanni, and Yahya.
Senses: examples: text: John is a most excellent name, and Smith is a surname which is worthy of respect and honor, but wo to the man on whom they are conjoined! For John Smith to aspire to senatorial dignities or to the laurel of a poet is simply ridiculous. Who is John Smith? He is lost in the multitude of John Smiths, and individual fame is impossible.
ref: 1852 August, D. H. Jacques, “A Chapter on Names”, in The Knickerbocker, or, New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XL, page 114:
text: The name I refer to is John. It has been borne by many illustrious men and an innumerable multitude of the obscure. - - - It is as fixed as the English landscape and the procession of seasons. It never becomes wearisome or tarnished. Nothing affects it; nothing can bring it into contempt; it stands like a rock amid the turbulent waves of human history, as fine and noble a thing now as it was when it first took shape on human lips. It is a name to live up to; but if one who bears it sinks into disrepute it falls not with him, but rather stays in the firmament above him, shining down upon him like a reproachful star.
ref: 1920, John Collings Squire, “Initials”, in Life and Letters: Essays, Hodder & Stoughton, pages 233–235:
text: The vote was 54-46. The vote was mostly along party lines though Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joined Republicans in supporting Bondi.
ref: 2025 February 4, Shania Shelton and Morgan Rimmer, “Senate votes to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general”, in CNN:
glosses: A male given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew]; very popular since the Middle Ages.
examples: text: a John Doe murder case; the dreaded Dear John letter; if we were to ask John Q. Public his opinion
glosses: A male given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew]; very popular since the Middle Ages.
Used generically for a man whose actual name may not be known.
glosses: A male given name originating from the Bible [in turn from Hebrew]; very popular since the Middle Ages.
Used frequently to form an idea personified, as in John Bull, John Barleycorn (see derivations below).
examples: text: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 1:6:
topics: biblical
lifestyle
religion
glosses: Persons of the Christian Bible: John the Baptist; and names possibly referring to one, two or three persons, frequently called "Saint": John the Apostle, John the Evangelist and John of Patmos (also called John the Divine or John the Theologian).
topics: biblical
lifestyle
religion
synonyms: Joh.
related: word: Matthew
word: Mark
word: Luke
glosses: The Gospel of St. John, a book of the New Testament of the Bible. Traditionally the fourth of the four gospels.
topics: biblical
lifestyle
religion
glosses: One of the books in the New Testament of the Bible, the epistles of John (1 John, 2 John and 3 John).
glosses: A surname originating as a patronymic.
Synonyms: sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (standard)
word: sir
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
english: especially to a younger man
translation: especially to a younger man
word: boy
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: bro
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: gov
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: guv
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: guvnor
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: Mac
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: man
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: mate
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: mister
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
english: to a younger man
translation: to a younger man
word: son
sense: name used to address a man whose actual name is not known (colloquial or slang)
word: buddy
Derived terms: General
Dear John
Dear John letter
High John root
John 50
John A. Grindle
John Audley
John Barleycorn
John Bircher
John Bull
John Collins
John Deere
John Doe
John Dory
John Fraud Kerry
John-go-to-bed-at-noon
John Hancock
John Henry
John Henryism
John Hop
Johnny Reb
John Orderly
John Q. Public
John Radcliffe
John's wort
John the Baptist
John the Conqueror root
John Thomas
shrubby St. John's wort
Sir John Lack-Latin
St John
St. John's bread
St. John's Day
St. John's wort
tomjohn
Tommy John surgery
Place names
Dinnington St John's
John Day
John O'Gaunt
Peasedown St John
Saint John
Saint John Figtree
Saint John's
St. John
St John's
St. John's
St Johns
St. Johns
St John's, Castlerigg and Wythburn
St John's Chapel
St. Johns County
St John's in the Vale
St. Johns River
St John's Town of Dalry
St John's Wood
St Johns Wood
Tipton St John
Related terms: Jane
Janey
Janie
Jean
Jeanie
Jenna
Jenni
Jennie
Jenny
Joan
Joanna
Joanne
Johnnie
Johnny
Euan
Evan
Ewan
Iain
Ian
Ivan
Jack
Juan
Sean
Shane
Shaun
Bevan
Bevans
Evans
Evens
Hance
Hancock
Hancocks
Hancox
Handcock
Hankin
Hankins
Hankinson
Hanks
Hann
Hansom
Hanson
Heaven
Heavens
Ianson
Ions
Ivins
Jackett
Jacks
Jackson
Jaggs
Jain
Janes
Janson
Jayne
Jaynes
Jeanes
Jeans
Jenkin
Jenkins
Jenkinson
Jenks
Jenn
Jennens
Jennett
Jenning
Jennings
Jennison
Jenns
Jeynes
Jinks
Johncock
Johns
Johnson
Johnston
Johnstone
Joinson
Jones
Jonson
Joynes
Joynson