John

#13,208 for girls in 2025, 6 births · #23 for boys in 2025, 8,027 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1921 · 58,216 births
Debut · boys
9,655 births
In top 100 · boys
146 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
5,182,633
since 1880

John over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10rank188019001920194019601980200020201979peak #1, 1921boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#13,2086#238,027
2024#11,1228#218,087
2023#15,1945#267,804
2022#12,2437#268,001
2021#10,2929#278,186
2020#10,2509#278,265
2019#7,71614#288,863
2018#7,76214#269,204
2017#9,94310#279,536
2016#8,87512#2810,060
2015#9,48111#2610,423
2014#8,05314#2610,701
2013#7,37216#2710,739
2012#9,71111#2810,638
2011#6,14821#2711,068
2010#10,45110#2611,568
2009#9,97511#2612,133
2008#6,13022#2013,336
2007#6,09322#1914,447
2006#4,16535#1915,177
2005#3,87637#1815,796
2004#2,39671#1716,470
2003#4,30730#1717,249
2002#5,44421#1717,477
2001#3,94032#1418,904
2000#4,40027#1420,115
1999#3,24539#1520,366
1998#4,14227#1520,633
1997#3,81529#1521,386
1996#3,14937#1522,188
1995#2,68745#1323,244
1994#2,58548#1524,187
1993#2,01269#1624,996
1992#2,31856#1426,253
1991#2,11163#1027,809
1990#1,78181#1229,089
1989#1,204134#1229,853
1988#986167#1129,427
1987#861197#1129,555
1986#774220#1030,209
1985#742233#931,502
1984#698238#832,610
1983#646266#933,154
1982#730234#834,698
1981#816195#834,868
1980#689251#835,274
1979#696243#735,410
1978#711222#734,014
1977#710218#734,195
1976#703210#633,976
1975#657231#735,079
1974#612254#637,612
1973#654229#639,165
1972#667224#543,158
1971#620272#451,512
1970#600290#458,491
1969#583288#458,732
1968#557303#360,903
1967#554289#461,600
1966#565284#465,016
1965#613252#271,493
1964#619264#282,508
1963#627259#278,636
1962#584286#378,427
1961#617272#379,983
1960#646244#476,096
1959#663229#476,446
1958#690205#576,057
1957#656225#579,033
1956#638224#580,804
1955#688185#580,128
1954#690185#481,168
1953#713164#480,165
1952#627197#383,140
1951#604202#381,569
1950#636180#379,412
1949#587199#381,178
1948#603192#382,834
1947#599203#388,324
1946#548208#379,267
1945#520197#366,117
1944#539180#366,616
1943#490229#368,929
1942#475241#366,043
1941#472221#357,520
1940#463208#354,786
1939#445228#351,025
1938#457216#350,517
1937#445218#348,755
1936#446203#347,683
1935#448208#347,509
1934#408257#346,743
1933#430226#346,224
1932#374298#348,624
1931#356325#348,423
1930#327402#352,447
1929#321411#352,112
1928#321424#253,760
1927#318440#255,949
1926#339385#256,108
1925#355367#257,195
1924#347382#259,052
1923#362335#157,467
1922#385285#157,280
1921#401285#158,216
1920#395281#156,913
1919#369307#153,522
1918#417248#156,558
1917#397253#151,852
1916#411227#150,043
1915#429200#147,576
1914#407169#137,947
1913#449122#129,329
1912#445112#124,588
1911#50168#113,446
1910#42188#111,450
1909#45667#19,590
1908#47458#19,343
1907#44465#18,983
1906#52843#18,264
1905#51943#18,059
1904#52040#18,108
1903#49641#17,608
1902#51838#17,907
1901#48139#16,900
1900#49946#19,828
1899#46140#16,990
1898#41555#18,159
1897#43246#17,550
1896#40350#18,138
1895#35761#18,320
1894#35960#18,237
1893#34361#18,049
1892#36054#19,039
1891#37744#17,680
1890#34356#18,502
1889#34652#18,548
1888#33352#19,247
1887#28556#18,110
1886#30048#19,026
1885#29645#18,756
1884#30440#19,388
1883#27840#18,894
1882#27840#19,557
1881#31226#18,768
1880#22746#19,655
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, John was already there! It came in at #1, and was given to 9,655 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1909, when fewer than 9,900 boys a year got the name.

Where John is popular in 1979

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #10 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 44 boysAKMaine: #11 for boys · 144 births · 1 in 50 boysMEVermont: #9 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 45 boysVTNew Hampshire: #8 for boys · 135 births · 1 in 42 boysNHWashington: #13 for boys · 489 births · 1 in 61 boysWAIdaho: #12 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 56 boysIDMontana: #12 for boys · 105 births · 1 in 55 boysMTNorth Dakota: #12 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 55 boysNDMinnesota: #13 for boys · 597 births · 1 in 52 boysMNIllinois: #8 for boys · 1,701 births · 1 in 49 boysILWisconsin: #16 for boys · 601 births · 1 in 57 boysWIMichigan: #11 for boys · 1,304 births · 1 in 51 boysMINew York: #6 for boys · 2,593 births · 1 in 43 boysNYMassachusetts: #6 for boys · 946 births · 1 in 36 boysMARhode Island: #6 for boys · 159 births · 1 in 33 boysRIOregon: #14 for boys · 339 births · 1 in 57 boysORNevada: #6 for boys · 130 births · 1 in 38 boysNVWyoming: #6 for boys · 89 births · 1 in 40 boysWYSouth Dakota: #9 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 49 boysSDIowa: #17 for boys · 388 births · 1 in 57 boysIAIndiana: #10 for boys · 836 births · 1 in 49 boysINOhio: #10 for boys · 1,726 births · 1 in 47 boysOHPennsylvania: #6 for boys · 2,042 births · 1 in 37 boysPANew Jersey: #4 for boys · 1,202 births · 1 in 35 boysNJConnecticut: #8 for boys · 419 births · 1 in 41 boysCTCalifornia: #7 for boys · 3,019 births · 1 in 60 boysCAUtah: #14 for boys · 305 births · 1 in 62 boysUTColorado: #9 for boys · 441 births · 1 in 49 boysCONebraska: #11 for boys · 233 births · 1 in 51 boysNEMissouri: #8 for boys · 873 births · 1 in 42 boysMOKentucky: #7 for boys · 699 births · 1 in 40 boysKYWest Virginia: #7 for boys · 398 births · 1 in 35 boysWVVirginia: #7 for boys · 855 births · 1 in 39 boysVAMaryland: #6 for boys · 632 births · 1 in 36 boysMDDelaware: #6 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 32 boysDEArizona: #10 for boys · 368 births · 1 in 57 boysAZNew Mexico: #5 for boys · 215 births · 1 in 48 boysNMKansas: #12 for boys · 315 births · 1 in 53 boysKSArkansas: #5 for boys · 419 births · 1 in 38 boysARTennessee: #6 for boys · 834 births · 1 in 39 boysTNNorth Carolina: #7 for boys · 902 births · 1 in 42 boysNCSouth Carolina: #6 for boys · 577 births · 1 in 36 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #5 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 37 boysDCOklahoma: #8 for boys · 489 births · 1 in 44 boysOKLouisiana: #5 for boys · 762 births · 1 in 46 boysLAMississippi: #5 for boys · 491 births · 1 in 39 boysMSAlabama: #5 for boys · 642 births · 1 in 42 boysALGeorgia: #5 for boys · 992 births · 1 in 40 boysGAHawaii: #7 for boys · 129 births · 1 in 50 boysHITexas: #6 for boys · 2,761 births · 1 in 45 boysTXFlorida: #7 for boys · 1,277 births · 1 in 43 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. New Jersey#4 · 1 in 35
  2. District of Columbia#5 · 1 in 37
  3. Arkansas#5 · 1 in 38
  4. Mississippi#5 · 1 in 39
  5. Georgia#5 · 1 in 40

Best ever in a state: #1 in Alaska, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Jersey#41,2021 in 35
Alabama#56421 in 42
Arkansas#54191 in 38
District of Columbia#52121 in 37
Georgia#59921 in 40
Louisiana#57621 in 46
Mississippi#54911 in 39
New Mexico#52151 in 48
Delaware#61161 in 32
Maryland#66321 in 36
Massachusetts#69461 in 36
Nevada#61301 in 38
New York#62,5931 in 43
Pennsylvania#62,0421 in 37
Rhode Island#61591 in 33
South Carolina#65771 in 36
Tennessee#68341 in 39
Texas#62,7611 in 45
Wyoming#6891 in 40
California#73,0191 in 60
Florida#71,2771 in 43
Hawaii#71291 in 50
Kentucky#76991 in 40
North Carolina#79021 in 42
Virginia#78551 in 39
West Virginia#73981 in 35
Connecticut#84191 in 41
Illinois#81,7011 in 49
Missouri#88731 in 42
New Hampshire#81351 in 42
Oklahoma#84891 in 44
Colorado#94411 in 49
South Dakota#91091 in 49
Vermont#9681 in 45
Alaska#10811 in 44
Arizona#103681 in 57
Indiana#108361 in 49
Ohio#101,7261 in 47
Maine#111441 in 50
Michigan#111,3041 in 51
Nebraska#112331 in 51
Idaho#121501 in 56
Kansas#123151 in 53
Montana#121051 in 55
North Dakota#121011 in 55
Minnesota#135971 in 52
Washington#134891 in 61
Oregon#143391 in 57
Utah#143051 in 62
Wisconsin#166011 in 57
Iowa#173881 in 57

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about John
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 2 spots since 2024 (#21 → #23)
  • 4 spots since 2020 (#27 → #23)
  • 3 spots since 2015 (#26 → #23)
  • Biggest jump: 5 spots in 2024 (#26 → #21)
  • Biggest drop: 6 spots in 2009 (#20 → #26)
Rise & fade · boys
41 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1921 at #1 (58,216 births)
  • Births halved by 1990, 69 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 108 yrs
  • Top 10: 108 yrs · run 1880–1986
  • Top 100: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 11
  • Highest: 1 in 11 boys born in 1880 were named John (8.7%)
  • Latest: 1 in 213 boys born in 2025 (0.47%)
  • Its best rank, #1 in 1921, was only 1 in 19 (5.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 15.4% of all boys named John (797,922) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s89,949#1 (1880)#1
1890s80,664#1 (1892)#1
1900s84,590#1 (1900)#1
1910s376,311#1 (1918)#1
1920s564,052#1 (1921)#2
1930s487,950#3 (1930)#3
1940s711,614#3 (1947)#3
1950s797,922#3 (1952)#4
1960s713,394#2 (1964)#3
1970s402,612#4 (1970)#6
1980s321,150#8 (1980)#9
1990s240,151#10 (1991)#14
2000s161,104#14 (2000)#18
2010s102,800#26 (2010)#27
2020s48,370#21 (2024)#25

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

John in 1979

girls
#696
243 births · 1 in 6,606 girls
boys
#7
35,410 births · 1 in 49 boys

Top girls' names in 1979

  1. #1Jennifer56,712
  2. #2Melissa34,050
  3. #3Amanda31,924
  4. #4Jessica27,780
  5. #5Amy21,609
  6. #6Sarah21,015
  7. #7Heather20,834
  8. #8Angela20,256
  9. #9Nicole19,510
  10. #10Michelle19,266
  11. #696John243

Top boys' names in 1979

  1. #1Michael67,713
  2. #2Christopher50,659
  3. #3Jason50,369
  4. #4David42,053
  5. #5James39,351
  6. #6Matthew35,621
  7. #7John35,410
  8. #8Robert34,015
  9. #9Joshua31,120
  10. #10Brian28,659
More about 1979

girls

1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 6,606 of them was named John, which outranked 94.2% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside John
  1. #693Corrine244
  2. #693Helena244
  3. #693Rena244
  4. #696John243
  5. #696Hayley243
  6. #698Eliza242
  7. #698Ida242
  8. #698Mara242

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,593Breanne#2,125 → #532
  2. ↑ 1,527Loni#2,516 → #989
  3. ↑ 1,287Renata#2,012 → #725
  4. ↑ 985Ashanti#1,862 → #877
  5. ↑ 896Nicolette#1,581 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 392Christel#762 → #1,154
  2. ↓ 312Kenisha#557 → #869
  3. ↓ 297Ariane#887 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 285Imelda#947 → #1,232
  5. ↓ 252Farrah#539 → #791

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 49 of them was named John, which outranked 99.9% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside John
  1. #4David42,053
  2. #5James39,351
  3. #6Matthew35,621
  4. #7John35,410
  5. #8Robert34,015
  6. #9Joshua31,120
  7. #10Brian28,659
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,228Tyrel#2,134 → #906
  2. ↑ 471Jace#1,186 → #715
  3. ↑ 387Chaz#1,371 → #984
  4. ↑ 311Tyrell#1,051 → #740
  5. ↑ 308Frederic#1,203 → #895
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,230Dequan#927 → #2,157
  2. ↓ 641Rahsaan#869 → #1,510
  3. ↓ 446Chip#989 → #1,435
  4. ↓ 308Rashaun#996 → #1,304
  5. ↓ 307Kenya#749 → #1,056

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1979 →