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#10rank188019001920194019601980200020201988peak #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 1988

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #13 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 56 boysAKMaine: #18 for boys · 100 births · 1 in 73 boysMEVermont: #26 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 80 boysVTNew Hampshire: #15 for boys · 140 births · 1 in 55 boysNHWashington: #18 for boys · 408 births · 1 in 80 boysWAIdaho: #20 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 83 boysIDMontana: #13 for boys · 81 births · 1 in 57 boysMTNorth Dakota: #16 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 65 boysNDMinnesota: #20 for boys · 438 births · 1 in 70 boysMNIllinois: #12 for boys · 1,328 births · 1 in 63 boysILWisconsin: #21 for boys · 416 births · 1 in 78 boysWIMichigan: #16 for boys · 964 births · 1 in 67 boysMINew York: #9 for boys · 2,371 births · 1 in 55 boysNYMassachusetts: #8 for boys · 922 births · 1 in 45 boysMARhode Island: #9 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 42 boysRIOregon: #19 for boys · 231 births · 1 in 79 boysORNevada: #15 for boys · 115 births · 1 in 63 boysNVWyoming: #11 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 59 boysWYSouth Dakota: #12 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 60 boysSDIowa: #27 for boys · 182 births · 1 in 97 boysIAIndiana: #17 for boys · 565 births · 1 in 69 boysINOhio: #14 for boys · 1,271 births · 1 in 61 boysOHPennsylvania: #9 for boys · 1,585 births · 1 in 50 boysPANew Jersey: #6 for boys · 1,189 births · 1 in 43 boysNJConnecticut: #6 for boys · 484 births · 1 in 45 boysCTCalifornia: #17 for boys · 2,951 births · 1 in 85 boysCAUtah: #27 for boys · 160 births · 1 in 102 boysUTColorado: #12 for boys · 370 births · 1 in 65 boysCONebraska: #13 for boys · 180 births · 1 in 60 boysNEMissouri: #12 for boys · 638 births · 1 in 57 boysMOKentucky: #12 for boys · 442 births · 1 in 53 boysKYWest Virginia: #12 for boys · 193 births · 1 in 54 boysWVVirginia: #8 for boys · 856 births · 1 in 47 boysVAMaryland: #11 for boys · 612 births · 1 in 50 boysMDDelaware: #4 for boys · 126 births · 1 in 35 boysDEArizona: #14 for boys · 394 births · 1 in 75 boysAZNew Mexico: #15 for boys · 158 births · 1 in 72 boysNMKansas: #13 for boys · 242 births · 1 in 69 boysKSArkansas: #8 for boys · 289 births · 1 in 51 boysARTennessee: #9 for boys · 666 births · 1 in 51 boysTNNorth Carolina: #12 for boys · 774 births · 1 in 56 boysNCSouth Carolina: #9 for boys · 475 births · 1 in 47 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #7 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 53 boysDCOklahoma: #13 for boys · 323 births · 1 in 64 boysOKLouisiana: #9 for boys · 488 births · 1 in 65 boysLAMississippi: #8 for boys · 327 births · 1 in 50 boysMSAlabama: #9 for boys · 494 births · 1 in 52 boysALGeorgia: #11 for boys · 852 births · 1 in 55 boysGAHawaii: #11 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 64 boysHITexas: #7 for boys · 2,415 births · 1 in 60 boysTXFlorida: #10 for boys · 1,413 births · 1 in 60 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Delaware#4 · 1 in 35
  2. New Jersey#6 · 1 in 43
  3. Connecticut#6 · 1 in 45
  4. District of Columbia#7 · 1 in 53
  5. Texas#7 · 1 in 60

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Delaware#41261 in 35
Connecticut#64841 in 45
New Jersey#61,1891 in 43
District of Columbia#71561 in 53
Texas#72,4151 in 60
Arkansas#82891 in 51
Massachusetts#89221 in 45
Mississippi#83271 in 50
Virginia#88561 in 47
Alabama#94941 in 52
Louisiana#94881 in 65
New York#92,3711 in 55
Pennsylvania#91,5851 in 50
Rhode Island#91501 in 42
South Carolina#94751 in 47
Tennessee#96661 in 51
Florida#101,4131 in 60
Georgia#118521 in 55
Hawaii#111061 in 64
Maryland#116121 in 50
Wyoming#11431 in 59
Colorado#123701 in 65
Illinois#121,3281 in 63
Kentucky#124421 in 53
Missouri#126381 in 57
North Carolina#127741 in 56
South Dakota#12781 in 60
West Virginia#121931 in 54
Alaska#13771 in 56
Kansas#132421 in 69
Montana#13811 in 57
Nebraska#131801 in 60
Oklahoma#133231 in 64
Arizona#143941 in 75
Ohio#141,2711 in 61
Nevada#151151 in 63
New Hampshire#151401 in 55
New Mexico#151581 in 72
Michigan#169641 in 67
North Dakota#16711 in 65
California#172,9511 in 85
Indiana#175651 in 69
Maine#181001 in 73
Washington#184081 in 80
Oregon#192311 in 79
Idaho#20771 in 83
Minnesota#204381 in 70
Wisconsin#214161 in 78
Vermont#26411 in 80
Iowa#271821 in 97
Utah#271601 in 102

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 1988

girls
#986
167 births · 1 in 10,664 girls
boys
#11
29,427 births · 1 in 65 boys

Top girls' names in 1988

  1. #1Jessica51,556
  2. #2Ashley49,977
  3. #3Amanda39,459
  4. #4Sarah28,374
  5. #5Jennifer27,893
  6. #6Brittany26,816
  7. #7Stephanie22,843
  8. #8Samantha20,700
  9. #9Nicole20,315
  10. #10Elizabeth20,042
  11. #986John167

Top boys' names in 1988

  1. #1Michael64,171
  2. #2Christopher53,014
  3. #3Matthew45,876
  4. #4Joshua42,653
  5. #5Andrew35,745
  6. #6David35,329
  7. #7Justin35,055
  8. #8Daniel34,718
  9. #9James32,523
  10. #10Robert30,319
  11. #11John29,427
More about 1988

girls

1,780,854 girls got a published name in 1988; 1 in 10,664 of them was named John, which outranked 92.9% of the 13,883 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside John
  1. #979Tiarra169
  2. #984Ivette168
  3. #984Magdalena168
  4. #986John167
  5. #986Ava167
  6. #986Emilia167
  7. #986Grecia167
  8. #990Brandon166
  9. #990Jeanine166
  10. #990Ladonna166

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

Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,890Jalissa#3,857 → #967
  2. ↑ 2,381Taja#3,101 → #720
  3. ↑ 1,710Whitley#2,156 → #446
  4. ↑ 1,225Jalisa#1,662 → #437
  5. ↑ 883Jaleesa#1,227 → #344
Fallers
  1. ↓ 620Channing#590 → #1,210
  2. ↓ 346Denisse#954 → #1,300
  3. ↓ 319Jeana#966 → #1,285
  4. ↓ 314Eliana#826 → #1,140
  5. ↓ 311Nakia#893 → #1,204

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

boys

1,914,283 boys got a published name in 1988; 1 in 65 of them was named John, which outranked 99.9% of the 8,495 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside John
  1. #8Daniel34,718
  2. #9James32,523
  3. #10Robert30,319
  4. #11John29,427
  5. #12Joseph29,019
  6. #13Ryan27,747
  7. #14Nicholas25,303
Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,252Nico#4,239 → #987
  2. ↑ 1,245Ridge#2,215 → #970
  3. ↑ 668Colten#1,484 → #816
  4. ↑ 600Brantley#1,587 → #987
  5. ↑ 518Long#1,337 → #819
Fallers
  1. ↓ 362Cordaro#908 → #1,270
  2. ↓ 246Ramsey#884 → #1,130
  3. ↓ 241Yaakov#974 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 233Adrain#990 → #1,223
  5. ↓ 230Kiel#846 → #1,076

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

See the top 100 for 1988 →