John is of Hebrew origin, meaning "God is gracious." It is one of the most popular names throughout history and across cultures. In the Bible, John was the name of several prominent figures including the apostle John and John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. The name gained significant popularity during medieval times due to its association with many saints bearing this name.
The name John has a straightforward spelling in English and is commonly used globally. It is often shortened to familiar forms like Jack or Jon. Some notable individuals named John include renowned author John Steinbeck, former US President John F. Kennedy, and legendary actor Marlon Brando who was born as Marlon Brando Jr., his parents being too fond of the name John to not use it twice.
"Johne seems to have been quite popular as a given name for girls between the early 1920s and late 1990s, with peak years being 1926 (6 births) and 1962 (7 births)."