Best 100 Middle Names For John in 2023
John is a strong familiar name that has always been a favorite choice among parents. This one-syllable name has never dropped below a top 30 boy’s name on the naming charts and we don’t see it going anywhere anytime soon.
If you’re considering naming your son John, we’ve compiled a list of the best middle names for John below.
Meaning of the Name John
The name John comes from the English form Iohannes, which is derived from the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), which is derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan). All of these names translate to mean “Yahweh (or God) is gracious” or “God is generous.”
Origin | Hebrew |
Pronunciation | j-on |
Best Middle Names for John
If you’re looking for a traditional middle name or something more modern, we’ve put together a list of our favorites here.
- John Abraham
- John Alexander
- John Andre
- John Anthony
- John Asher
- John Atlas
- John Avery
- John Beau
- John Bennett
- John Bo
- John Boone
- John Brayden
- John Briggs
- John Bryson
- John Carlos
- John Carter
- John Cayden
- John Connor
- John Cooper
- John Dallas
- John Dalton
- John David
- John Dawson
- John Declan
- John Elias
- John Elijah
- John Emmanuel
- John Enrique
- John Esteban
- John Ezra
- John Felix
- John Finn
- John Finley
- John Francis
- John Gage
- John Garrison
- John Grayson
- John Grey
- John Hayes
- John Hendrix
- John Henry
- John Hudson
- John Huxley
- John Isaiah
- John Jacob
- John Jaxon
- John Jayce
- John Jeremiah
- John Jose
- John Kingston
- John Knox
- John Landon
- John Lawson
- John Legend
- John Leon
- John Levi
- John Lewis
- John Marshall
- John Mason
- John Matthew
- John Maxwell
- John Michael
- John Milo
- John Nash
- John Nathaniel
- John Nicholas
- John Oliver
- John Oscar
- John Parker
- John Patrick
- John Pax
- John Paxton
- John Penn
- John Perry
- John Pierce
- John Porter
- John Prescott
- John Preston
- John Rafael
- John Raiden
- John Raul
- John Reid
- John Remy
- John Riley
- John Royce
- John Ryder
- John Ryker
- John Samuel
- John Santiago
- John Sawyer
- John Scott
- John Silas
- John Sterling
- John Steven
- John Thomas
- John Tucker
- John Tripp
- John Tyler
- John Wade
- John Waylon
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How To Pick a Middle Name
Do You Need A Middle Name?
In short, no. You do not need to give your child a middle name. You can choose to only give your child a first name and last name. There are no laws or requirements in regard to middle names.
However, according to research in the European Journal of Social Psychology, using middle initials in your name increases people’s perception of your intelligence.
Providing your child with a middle name will help differentiate them from others who share their same name. It also gives them a second option. Some children choose to go by their middle names instead of their first names as they grow older.
We all know how important it is to find the perfect name for our children. But did you know that in some cultures, middle names can be used as a way to give your child an additional identity? A new connection with their family history or heritage.
Here we will explore the things you should consider when giving your children a middle name!
Family Names
A child’s middle name is a great way to honor a beloved family member. It could be someone who has passed or a living family member who means a lot to the parents. Middle names don’t need to be gender-specific, so this could be a good place to include male or female family members.
Some parents like to include family surnames, such as the mother’s maiden name, as a middle name. This allows both sides of the family to pass down their name to the child. Any name that is meaningful to the family can make a nice middle name.
Flow and Initials
Probably the most important thing parents think of when choosing their child’s name is how it all sounds together. The first, middle, and last name should flow nicely together.
Many popular middle names are short, one or two syllable names because they pair well with most first names.
If family members speak another language or have an accent, take into consideration how everyone will be pronouncing the names when determining how they fit together
Monograms are popular in Southern culture, but it is still helpful to consider your child’s initials regardless of where you live.
Monograms for women are typically in the order of first name initial, large last name initial, and then middle name initial.
For men, the initials are usually in order of first, middle, and then last name. Avoid spelling out unfortunate words with the initials.
Middle names and their initials can also be used for nicknames. For example, Mary Elizabeth can be shortened to Mary Beth. Or, Elizabeth Zoe can be shortened to the initials E. Z. As a nickname.
If you just can’t narrow it down to a first name and a middle name, you can always include multiple middle names. In the United States, most people only have one middle name, but it is common around the world to have two or more.
It is recommended not to add too many middle names though. Most paperwork only leaves a spot for a single middle name or initial and multiple names can lead to confusion.
Special Meanings
A child’s middle name is a great way to pay homage to anything that holds special meaning to the parents. Some inspiration for names includes:
- Influential people in your life
- Characters from books, movies, or television
- Locations that hold memories
- Languages that are important to the family
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First Name for Middle Name John
You might be on the search for the perfect first name if you’re considering John as a middle name. We’ve gathered a list of some great first name options here.
- Adrian John
- Aiden John
- Alexander John
- Andrew John
- Ashton John
- Beckett John
- Benjamin John
- Bentley John
- Brayden John
- Bryson John
- Caleb John
- Cameron John
- Carter John
- Colton John
- Cooper John
- Daniel John
- David John
- Desmond John
- Donovan John
- Easton John
- Elijah John
- Elliott John
- Enzo John
- Evan John
- Finnegan John
- Fletcher John
- Franklin John
- Gibson John
- Gideon John
- Grayson John
- Griffin John
- Harley John
- Harold John
- Hendrix John
- Hunter John
- Huxley John
- Isaac John
- Jackson John
- Jonah John
- Jordan John
- Joseph John
- Kenneth John
- Kingston John
- Korbin John
- Levi John
- Liam John
- Lincoln John
- Logan John
- Lucas John
- Maddox John
- Marcus John
- Mason John
- Maverick John
- Michael John
- Nathaniel John
- Nolan John
- Oliver John
- Oscar John
- Palmer John
- Patrick John
- Peyton John
- Phillip John
- Quincy John
- Raymond John
- Richard John
- Robert John
- Rowan John
- Ryan John
- Samuel John
- Sebastian John
- Simon John
- Spencer John
- Tanner John
- Theodore John
- Timothy John
- Valentino John
- Victor John
- Wesley John
- William John
- Wyatt John
Nicknames for John
- Jack
- Jackie
- Jacko
- Jacky
- Jax
- Jo
- Jock
- Joe
- Johnny
- Jon
- Jon Jon
Variations of John
- Ioannes (Biblical Greek)
- Yehochanan, Yochanan (Biblical Hebrew)
- Iohannes (Biblical Latin)
- Jan, Jens, Johan, Johannes, Jon (Danish)
- Jan, Johan, Johannes (Dutch)
- Jean, Yann, Yoan, Yoann, Yohan, Yohann, Yvan, Jeannot, Yanick, Yanis, Yannick (French)
- Jan, Johann, Johannes, Hannes, Hans, Jo (German)
- Giannis, Ioannis, Yannis, Yiannis, Gianis, Yanis, Yanni, Yianni (Greek)
- Eoin, Seán, Sean, Shane (Irish)
- Jan, Johan, Johannes, Jon (Norwegian)
- Eoin, Iain, Ian (Scottish)
- Iván, Juan, Ibán, Juancho, Juanito, Juantxo (Spanish)
- Jan, Johan, Johannes, Jon (Swedish)
Names Similar to John
- Adam
- Alen
- Andrew
- Brandon
- Brett
- Cameron
- Chandler
- Charles
- Chris
- Christian
- Daniel
- Darren
- David
- Drew
- Earl
- Eddie
- Edward
- Ethan
- Frank
- Frederick
- Gary
- George
- Grant
- Gregory
- Jacob
- James
- Joseph
- Keith
- Kent
- Leonard
- Lloyd
- Logan
- Marcus
- Matthew
- Michael
- Nathan
- Nicholas
- Oscar
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Randy
- Raymond
- Richard
- Robert
- Russell
- Sam
- Scott
- Sean
- Simon
- Thomas
- Timothy
- Travis
- Tyler
- Victor
- William
Sibling Boy Names that go with John
- John and Asher
- John and Bennett
- John and Caleb
- John and Charles
- John and Declan
- John and Edward
- John and Franklin
- John and Grant
- John and Harrison
- John and Hector
- John and Isaac
- John and Jacob
- John and Kurt
- John and Lincoln
- John and Mason
- John and Miles
- John and Nicholas
- John and Oliver
- John and Patrick
- John and Raymond
- John and Samuel
- John and Taylor
- John and Timothy
- John and William
- John and Wyatt
Sibling Girl Names that go with John
- John and Abigail
- John and Beatrice
- John and Bethany
- John and Charlotte
- John and Delilah
- John and Elizabeth
- John and Emma
- John and Felicity
- John and Gianna
- John and Hannah
- John and Harper
- John and Isabelle
- John and Jacqueline
- John and Katherine
- John and Lillian
- John and Mary
- John and Meredith
- John and Nicole
- John and Olivia
- John and Penelope
- John and Piper
- John and Sophia
- John and Theresa
- John and Victoria
- John and Whitney
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History of the Name John
The Hebrew form of John appears in the Old Testament spelled as Johanan of Jehohanan in the English version. The popularity of the name is owed to the New Testament and two highly revered saints.
John the Baptist was part of the inner circle of Jesus and baptized Jesus in the River Jordan. He was later executed by Herod Antipas.
John the Apostle was a fisherman and follower of Christ. He is known as one of the authors of the fourth gospel and Revelation.
John as a given name was common among Eastern Christians in the Byzantine Empire. By the 11th century, after the First Crusade, John became a popular given name.
In England, John was the most common male name from the 13th to 20th century alongside William in the 19th century. In the United States it was the most common male name until 1923.
According to the Social Security Administration, John dropped from the number 1 position to the number 2 position in 1924. It maintained a top 10 position until 1987. Thus far, John has never dropped below a top 30 position.
As of 2021, John ranks as the 27th most popular boy’s name in the United States.
Alternative spelling Jon first appeared on the popular baby naming charts in 1920. It dropped on and off until it officially stuck in 1924. Jon was a top 100 boy’s name from 1960 until 1974. In 1975 it began to decline on the charts. As of 2021, Jon ranks as the 843rd most popular boy’s name in America.
Famous People with the Name John
John | King of England |
John Adams | Founding Father and 2nd President of the United States of America |
John Belushi | American actor, comedian, and one of the founding cast members of Saturday Night Live |
John “Calvin” Coolidge | 30th President of the United States of America |
John Goodman | American actor on television series Roseanne |
John Hannah | Scottish actor in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral |
John Jackson | American actor in television series JAG and NCIS |
John Kassir | American actor and voice actor for the series Tales from the Crypt |
John Lennon | English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Beatles |
John Lithgow | American actor and recipient of two Golden Globe Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Tony Awards |
John Lone | Hong Kong-born American actor in the film The Last Emperor |
John Malkovich | American actor who has appeared in more than 70 films |
John McGinley | American actor in television series Scrubs and the film Office Space |
John O’Hurley | American actor on television series Seinfeld |
John Ratzenberger | American actor on television series Cheers |
John Reilly | American actor in numerous films including Casualties of War, Boogie Nights, Chicago, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Step Brothers, and Stan and Ollie |
John Travolta | American actor in numerous films including Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Pulp Fiction, and Hairspray |
John Wayne | American actor born as Marion Robert Morrison who flourished during the 1920s silent film era |
Fictional Characters Named John
John | a character from the film The Ref |
John “Jack” Arnold | a character in the television series The Wonder Years |
John Clark | a character in the novel Ryanverse by Tom Clancy |
John Darling | a character in Walt Disney’s animated film Peter Pan |
John Diggle | a character in the television series Arrowerse franchise |
John Ellis | a character in the Netflix series Grand Army |
John Jonah Jameson | a character in the Marvel Comics |
John Kimble | a character in the film Kindergarten Cop |
John Locke | a character in the television series Lost |
John McClane | a character in the Die Hard film series |
John Murphy | a character in the television series The 100 |
John “Hannibal” Smith | a character in the television series The A-Team |
John Walker | a character in the Marvel Comics |
Frequently Asked Questions
What names is John short for?
John can be used as a shortened version or nickname for Jacob, Jason, Jonathan, Johann, and Johannes.
Why is John such a common name?
With a strong history in upper classes, religious revival, and biblical ties, John has been a favorite among parents since the 11th century. The name spread from upper classes to lower classes when children were named by their godfathers instead of their parents. These godfathers were usually local landowners. Once the names were established and traditions changed, sons were often named after their father’s and the name John persisted.
Why is Jack short for John?
The name Jack was originally used as a generic name for peasants. Over time, Jack worked its way into professions like lumberjack and steeplejack. It is theorized that the Normans added -kin to make a diminutive. They pronounced John as Jen, so the addition of -kin created Jenkin, which turned to Jakin, and ultimately became Jack.
Final Thoughts on Middle Names for John
John is a classic, strong one syllable name that has always been a top choice for parents. This name has stood the test of time and continues to flourish as a given name for boys.
If you’re considering naming your son John, we hope our list of middle names has been helpful!
MORE MIDDLE NAME IDEAS
Now that you’ve seen all the middle name ideas for John, you might want to check out some middle name ideas for these similar names!
- Middle Names for Charles
- Middle Names for Christopher
- Middle Names for David
- Middle Names for Emmanuel
- Middle Names for Henry
- Middle Names for Thomas
If you’re looking for more middle name ideas, you can find all our lists in our Middle Names section.
For more baby name ideas and inspiration head over to our Baby Names section.
Krissy lives in California with her family of three that make up “The Hadicks.” With a passion for research and helping others, The Hadicks was developed as a resource for other parents and parents-to-be!