Middle English, indirect diminutive of "John" or from an anglicized form of French "Jacques"
Meaning
"
Yahweh has been Gracious",[1] "Graced by Yahweh" (
John), "He may/will/shall follow/heed/seize by the heel/watch/guard/protect”, "Supplanter/Assailant", "May God protect" (
Jacques), and possibly "health"
Jack is a
given name, a diminutive of
John or
Jackson; alternatively, it may be derived from
Jacques, the French form of
James or
Jacob.[2] Since the late 20th century, Jack has become one of the most common names for boys in many English-speaking countries. Jack is also used to a lesser extent as a female given name, often as a shortened version of
Jacqueline.[3]
The word "jack" is also commonly used in other contexts in English for many occupations, objects and actions, linked to the use of the word as a metaphor for a common man.
Origin
Jack is thought by some to have hailed from the earlier Jackin (from the name Jankin).[2][4] Alternatively, it may be derived from an
anglicisation of
Jacques, the French form of the name
James or
Jacob.[2] There is also a theory that it is
Celtic in origin, meaning "healthy, strong, full of vital energy" (compare the
Welsh word iach, "health"), from a putative
Ancient BritishYakkios.[5][unreliable source?] Both the name and the word "jack" were long used as a term to refer to any man, especially of the common classes.[6][7]
Frequency
In several English-speaking countries, Jack has become increasingly used as a formal name, rather than being a mere nickname as it traditionally has been. In its own right, it is now more popular than John, James, and Jacob. In recent years, Jack has been the most common given name for boys in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, and has grown in popularity in the United States.
John–from which Jack was often derived—was, along with William, the most frequent male name throughout the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century.[8] Jack appeared on the lists of the most frequently used male-baby names in the UK for 2003–2007.[9][10][11]
In 2014, Jack was again the most popular name for baby boys in Ireland.[12]
According to the
United States Census of 1990, Jack is an uncommon American name, the given name for 0.315% of the male population and 0.001% of the female population.[3][14][15] However, the frequency of Jack as a baby name has steadily increased from the 160–170 rank prior to 1991 to a rank of 35 in 2006.[16]
Jock is a common diminutive of the name John in Scotland.
Other uses in English
The name Jack is unusual in the English language for its frequent use as a noun or verb for many common objects and actions, and in many compound words and phrases.
The word is also used in other words and phrases such as: apple jack, hijack, jack of clubs (playing card), jack straw (scarecrow), jack tar (sailor), jack-in-the-box, jack-of-all-trades, Jack the lad, jack o'lantern, jackdaw, jackhammer, jackknife, jackpot, lumberjack, Union Jack, etc.
The history of the word is linked to the name being used as a by-name for a man.[6]
^
abc"Jack". Thinkbabynames.com. n.d. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
^
ab"Name search results". Search name files from 1990 Census.
United States Census Bureau. September 7, 2007. Archived from
the original on February 7, 1997. Retrieved February 9, 2008. NAME(female):JACK ; RANK:3217; %FREQ (CUMM FREQ):0.001 (88.832)
^
abChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Jack" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 106–107, see lines six and seven. "Jack" was early used as a general term for any man of the common people, especially in combination with the woman's name Jill or Gill, as in the nursery rhyme
This page or section lists people that share the same
given name. If an
internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.
Middle English, indirect diminutive of "John" or from an anglicized form of French "Jacques"
Meaning
"
Yahweh has been Gracious",[1] "Graced by Yahweh" (
John), "He may/will/shall follow/heed/seize by the heel/watch/guard/protect”, "Supplanter/Assailant", "May God protect" (
Jacques), and possibly "health"
Jack is a
given name, a diminutive of
John or
Jackson; alternatively, it may be derived from
Jacques, the French form of
James or
Jacob.[2] Since the late 20th century, Jack has become one of the most common names for boys in many English-speaking countries. Jack is also used to a lesser extent as a female given name, often as a shortened version of
Jacqueline.[3]
The word "jack" is also commonly used in other contexts in English for many occupations, objects and actions, linked to the use of the word as a metaphor for a common man.
Origin
Jack is thought by some to have hailed from the earlier Jackin (from the name Jankin).[2][4] Alternatively, it may be derived from an
anglicisation of
Jacques, the French form of the name
James or
Jacob.[2] There is also a theory that it is
Celtic in origin, meaning "healthy, strong, full of vital energy" (compare the
Welsh word iach, "health"), from a putative
Ancient BritishYakkios.[5][unreliable source?] Both the name and the word "jack" were long used as a term to refer to any man, especially of the common classes.[6][7]
Frequency
In several English-speaking countries, Jack has become increasingly used as a formal name, rather than being a mere nickname as it traditionally has been. In its own right, it is now more popular than John, James, and Jacob. In recent years, Jack has been the most common given name for boys in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, and has grown in popularity in the United States.
John–from which Jack was often derived—was, along with William, the most frequent male name throughout the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century.[8] Jack appeared on the lists of the most frequently used male-baby names in the UK for 2003–2007.[9][10][11]
In 2014, Jack was again the most popular name for baby boys in Ireland.[12]
According to the
United States Census of 1990, Jack is an uncommon American name, the given name for 0.315% of the male population and 0.001% of the female population.[3][14][15] However, the frequency of Jack as a baby name has steadily increased from the 160–170 rank prior to 1991 to a rank of 35 in 2006.[16]
Jock is a common diminutive of the name John in Scotland.
Other uses in English
The name Jack is unusual in the English language for its frequent use as a noun or verb for many common objects and actions, and in many compound words and phrases.
The word is also used in other words and phrases such as: apple jack, hijack, jack of clubs (playing card), jack straw (scarecrow), jack tar (sailor), jack-in-the-box, jack-of-all-trades, Jack the lad, jack o'lantern, jackdaw, jackhammer, jackknife, jackpot, lumberjack, Union Jack, etc.
The history of the word is linked to the name being used as a by-name for a man.[6]
^
abc"Jack". Thinkbabynames.com. n.d. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
^
ab"Name search results". Search name files from 1990 Census.
United States Census Bureau. September 7, 2007. Archived from
the original on February 7, 1997. Retrieved February 9, 2008. NAME(female):JACK ; RANK:3217; %FREQ (CUMM FREQ):0.001 (88.832)
^
abChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Jack" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 106–107, see lines six and seven. "Jack" was early used as a general term for any man of the common people, especially in combination with the woman's name Jill or Gill, as in the nursery rhyme
This page or section lists people that share the same
given name. If an
internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.