means one who serves
{{TOCright}}
'''John''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[dʒɑn]}}) is a common [[English language|English]] [[male]]'s [[name]].
John was for a long time the [[List of the most popular names in the 2000s in the United States|most popular name]] in many countries, including the [[United States]]. John is also referenced in a "[[Dear John letter]]", meaning a breakup letter written by a woman to her soon-to-be-former boyfriend. It was also long the most common male name in the UK, but by 2004 it had fallen out of the top 50 names for new born boys in England and Wales. [http://www.babycentre.co.uk/refcap/564059.html] By contrast [[Jack (name)|Jack]], which was originally a nickname for John but is now established as a name in its own right, was the most popular boy's name in England and Wales every year from 1995 to 2004.
In [[Britain]], [[John of England|King John]] signed the [[Magna Carta]] in [[1215]], and [[Prince John of the United Kingdom|Prince John]], the youngest son of [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]], died in his sleep in [[1919]]. As such, the name John has been considered unlucky by the [[British Royal Family]] and its use avoided. It was reported that [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] wished to name her elder son "John", after her own [[Edward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer|father]], but was prevented from doing so by royal tradition.
==John ==
The name ''John'' derives through [[Jew|Jewish]] and [[Christendom|Christian]] tradition ultimately from the [[Biblical Hebrew]] name '''יוחנן''' '''Yôḥānān''', short for '''יהוחנן''' '''Yəhôḥānān''', meaning "[[Tetragrammaton|Yahweh]] is merciful."
In Christendom, feminine forms of this name have developed as well, reaching English in the primary forms '''Jan''', '''Jane''', '''Jean''' and '''Joan''', and diminutized as '''Janet'''.
Interestingly, the name has come full circle, entering [[Israeli Hebrew]] as the name '''שון''' '''Shon''', which derives from [[English language|English]] '''Shawn''', which derives from [[Irish language|Irish]] '''Seán''', which derives from [[French language|French]] '''Jean''', which derives from [[Latin]] '''Johann''' (variants: '''Iohann''' and '''Ivan''' v is pronounced as 'u'), a simplification of '''Johannes''', which derives from [[Greek language|Greek]] '''Ιωαννης''', '''Iōhannēs''', which was loaned from [[Mishnaic Hebrew]] '''יוחנן''' '''Yôḥānān''' during the [[Second Temple Period]], after [[John the Apostle]] and [[John the Revelator]]. Originally popularized in non-[[Jew]]ish society as a [[Christianity|Christian]] name, it has become a fashionable name in various forms in both [[Christendom]] and the [[Islamic World]], with widespread [[secular]] use.
==Jon / Jonathan==
Surprisingly, ''[[Jonathan]]'' is not a variation of John, but a longer version of Nathan. It simply means a "gift." The nickname ''Jon'' became popular as its own.
This name is almost nonexistent in English, but the variant '''מתניהו''' '''Mattanyāhû''' spawned the hypocoristic (familiar) form '''מתי''' '''Mattay''', which evolved independently in [[Christendom]] to become English '''[[Matthew]]'''.
In English, pet forms of ''John'' and ''Jon'' have developed, including '''Johnny''' and '''Jonny'''.
==Evolution of the name ''John ''==
* [[Biblical Hebrew]] '''יהוחנן''' '''Yəhôḥānān'''
** [[Biblical Hebrew]] '''יוחנן''' '''Yôḥānān'''
*** [[Amharic language|Amharic]] <font size="+1">ዮሀንስ</font> (Yohannəs)
*** [[Arabic language|Arabic]] '''يحيى''' (Yaḥyā), '''يوحنا''' (Yuḥanna)
**** [[Turkish language|Turkish]] '''[[Yahya]]'''
*** [[KJV]] [[Old Testament]] [[English language|English]] '''[[Johanan]]'''
*** [[Septuagint]] [[Greek language|Greek]] '''Ιωαννης''' ([[Ioannis]]), '''Iōhannēs''', '''Iōannēs''', female '''Ιωαννα''' ([[Ioanna]])
**** [[Modern Greek]] '''Γιαννης''' ([[Yannis]]), '''Γιαννη''' ([[Yanni]]), '''Γιαννος''' ([[Yannos]]), diminutive '''Γιαννακης''' ([[Yannakis]]), female '''Γιαννα''' ([[Yanna]]), female diminutive '''Γιαννουλα''' ([[Yannoula]])
***** [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] '''Яни, Янко''' ([[Yani]], [[Yanko]]), female '''Яна, Яница''' ([[Yana]], [[Yanitsa]])
**** [[Latin]] '''[[Ioannes]]''', '''[[Joannes]]''', feminine '''[[Ioanna]]''', '''[[Joanna]]'''
***** [[Albanian language|Albanian]] '''[[Gjon]]'''
***** [[Catalan language|Catalan]] '''[[Joan]]''', diminutive '''[[Jan]]''', feminine '''[[Joana]]'''
***** [[Cornish language|Cornish]] '''[[Jehan]]''', '''[[Jowan]]''', '''[[Jowann]]'''
***** [[Galician language|Galician]] '''Xoán'''
***** [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] '''[[Johannes]]''', '''[[Johann]]''', '''[[Joann]]''', feminine '''[[Johanna]]''', '''[[Joanna]]'''
****** [[Czech language|Czech]] '''[[Jan]]''' (diminutive '''[[Jeníček]]'''), feminine '''[[Jana]]''' (diminutive '''[[Janička]]''')
****** [[Danish language|Danish]]/[[Dutch language|Dutch]]/[[Swedish language|Swedish]] '''[[Jan]]''', '''[[Jonny]]'''
****** [[Estonian language|Estonian]] '''[[Jaan]]''', '''[[Jaak]]'''
****** [[English language|English]] '''John''', diminutive '''[[Johnny]]''', '''[[Jack (name)|Jack]]''', '''[[Jacky]]'''
****** [[Esperanto]] '''[[Johano]]'''
****** [[French language|French]] '''[[Jean]]''', feminine '''[[Jeanne]]''', feminine diminutive '''[[Jeannette]]'''
******* [[English language|English]] feminine '''[[Jan]]''', '''[[Jane]]''', '''[[Joan]]''', '''[[Jean]]''', feminine diminutive '''[[Janet]]'''
******* [[Irish language|Irish]] '''[[Seán]]''', feminine diminutive ('''[[Jeanne]]''') '''[[Sinéad]]''', feminine diminutive ('''[[Jeannette]]''') '''[[Siobhán]]'''
******** [[English language|English]] '''[[Shawn]]'''(a), '''[[Shaun]](a)''', '''[[Chaun]](a)'''
********* [[Israeli Hebrew]] '''שון''' ([[Shon]])
****** [[German language|German]] '''[[Jan]]''', '''[[Johann]]''', '''[[Johannes]]''', diminutive '''[[Hans_(name)|Hans]]''', feminine '''[[Johanna]]'''
****** [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] diminutive '''[[Hans_(name)|Hans]]'''
******* [[Czech language|Czech]] informal '''[[Honza]]'''
****** [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]] '''[[János]]''', diminutives: '''[[Jani]]''', '''[[Jancsi]]''' or by suffixing any of the previous with '''ka''' (i.e. '''[[Janika]]''')
****** [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] '''[[Jóhannes]]''', diminutives: '''[[Jóhann]]''', '''[[Jón]]''', '''[[Jens]]''', '''[[Hannes]]''', '''[[Hans (name)|Hans]]''', feminine '''[[Jóhanna]]''', '''[[Jensína]]''', feminine diminutive '''[[Jóna]]''', ''[[Hansína]]''
****** [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] '''[[Yohanes]]'''
****** [[Irish language|Irish]] '''[[Eóin]]'''
****** [[Scots Gaelic language|Scots Gaelic]] '''[[Ian|Ián]]''', '''[[Ian|Iáin]]'''
****** [[Latvian language|Latvian]] '''[[Jānis]]'''
****** [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] '''[[Jonas]]'''
******[[Polish language|Polish]] '''[[Jan]]'''
******* [[Polish language|Polish]] diminutive '''[[Janek]]''', '''[[Jasiek]]''', '''[[Jasio]]'''
****** [[Romanian language|Romanian]] '''[[Iancu]]'''
****** [[Slovak language|Slovak]] '''[[Ján]]'''
****** [[Slovenian language|Slovenian]] '''[[Janez]]'''
***** [[Italian language|Italian]] '''[[Giovanni]]''', '''[[Gianni]]''', '''[[Nanni]]''', '''[[Nino]]''' feminine '''[[Giovanna]]''', '''[[Gianna]]''', '''[[Vanna]]''', '''[[Nina]]'''
***** [[Japanese language|Japanese]] '''ヨハネ''' ([[Yohane]])
***** [[Korean language|Korean]] '''요한'''([[Yohan]]), '''요환'''([[Yohwan]])
***** [[Mandarin Chinese]] '''[[Yuēhàn]]'''
***** [[Taiwanese (linguistics)|Taiwanese]] '''Iok-hān''' (Protestant), '''Jio̍k-bōng''' (Catholic)
***** [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] '''[[João]]''', feminine '''[[Joana]]'''
***** [[Spanish language|Spanish]] '''[[Juan]]''', feminine '''[[Juana]]''', diminutive feminine '''[[Juanita]]'''
***** [[Welsh language|Welsh]] '''[[Ieuan]]''', '''[[Evan]]''', '''[[Jone]]''', '''[[Shone]]''', '''[[Ioan]]''','''Iwan'''
**** [[Old Church Slavonic language|Old Slavonic]] '''Ιωан''' ([[Ioan]]), feminine '''[[Ioana]]'''
***** [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] '''Ян''' ([[Jan]]), '''Янка''' ([[Janka]]) and '''Іван''' ([[Ivan]])
***** [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] '''Йоан''' ([[Yoan]]), feminine '''Йоана''' ([[Yoana]])
***** [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] '''Иван''' ([[Ivan]]), feminine '''Ивана''' ([[Ivana]])
***** [[Croatian language|Croatian]] '''[[Ivan]]''', '''[[Ivo]]''', '''[[Ivica]]''', feminine '''[[Ivana]]''', also '''[[Vanja]]''', both feminine and masculine
***** [[Polish language|Polish]] '''[[Jan]]''', feminine '''[[Janina]]''', '''[[Joanna]]'''
***** [[Romanian language|Romanian]] '''[[Ion]]''', '''[[Ioan]]''', diminutive '''[[Ionel]]''', '''[[Ionuţ]]''', '''[[Nelu]]''', '''[[Ionică]]''' feminine '''[[Ioana]]''', diminutive '''[[Oana]]'''
***** [[Russian language|Russian]] '''Иван''' ([[Ivan]]), diminutive '''Ваня''' ([[Vanya]]), feminine '''Ивана''' ([[Ivana]]) (feminine form virtually nonexistant)
****** [[English language|English]] '''[[Ewan]]''', [[Evan]]s (family name)
****** [[Spanish language|Spanish]]/[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]/[[Italian language|Italian]]/[[English language|English]] '''[[Ivan]]''', '''[[Iván]]''', feminine '''[[Ivana]]'''
****** [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (family name, Son of John/Ivan) '''[[Ibañez]]'''
***** [[Serbian language|Serbian]] '''[[Ivan]]''', feminine '''[[Ivana]]''', also '''[[Vanja]]''', both feminine and masculine
***** [[Slovak language|Slovak]] '''[[Ivan]]''', feminine '''[[Ivana]]''', '''[[Ivanka]]'''
***** [[Slovenian language|Slovenian]] '''[[Ivan]]''', feminine '''[[Ivana]]''', also '''[[Vanja]]''', both feminine and masculine
***** [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] '''Іван''' ([[Ivan]]), diminutive '''Івась''' (Ivas'), '''Івасик''', ([[Ivasyk]]), feminine '''Іванна''' ([[Ivanna]])
**** [[Serbian language|Serbian]] '''[[Jovan]]''', feminine '''[[Jovana]]'''
*** [[Standard Hebrew]] '''Yoḥanan'''
**** [[Israeli Hebrew]] '''[[Yochanan]]'''
[[Category:Given names]]
[[bg:Джон]]
[[cs:Jan]]
[[de:Johannes]]
[[fr:Jean]]
[[el:Ιωάννης (όνομα)]]
[[eo:Johano]]
[[es:Juan]]
[[ko:요한 (이름)]]
[[is:Jóhannes]]
[[it:Giovanni]]
[[ja:ジョン (人名)]]
[[nl:Johannes]]
[[pl:Jan]]
[[pt:João (nome)]]
[[ru:Иван]]
[[sl:Johan]]
[[sv:John]]
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