John Definition
John
See also john
Contents |
English
Wikipedia has an article on: JohnAlternative forms
- Jon male given name only
Etymology
From Latin Iōhannēs (variant of Iōannēs), from New Testament Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs), contraction from Hebrew יוֹחָנָ (Johanan) Jōħānān, perhaps from a former יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan) Jəhôħānān, meaning "God is gracious".
Pronunciation
- (RP) IPA: /ʤɒn/, SAMPA: /dZQn/
- (GenAm) IPA: /ʤɑn/, SAMPA: /dZAn/
- Rhymes: -ɒn
Proper noun
John
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John on Wikipedia.Wikipedia “John” on Wikisource. Wikisource Wiktionary has an Appendix listing books of the Bible |
- A male given name very popular since the Middle Ages.
- 1852 D. H. Jacques, "A Chapter on Names", The Knickerbocker, or, New-York Monthly Magazine, Volume XL, August 1852, page 114:
- John is a most excellent name, and Smith is a surname which is worthy of respect and honor, but wo to the man on whom they are conjoined! For John Smith to aspire to senatorial dignities or to the laurel of a poet is simply ridiculous. Who is John Smith? He is lost in the multitude of John Smiths, and individual fame is impossible.
- 1920, John Collings Squire, "Initials", Life and Letters: Essays, Hodder & Stoughton, pages 233-235:
- The name I refer to is John. It has been borne by many illustrious men and an innumerable multitude of the obscure. - - - It is as fixed as the English landscape and the procession of seasons. It never becomes wearisome or tarnished. Nothing affects it; nothing can bring it into contempt; it stands like a rock amid the turbulent waves of human history, as fine and noble a thing now as it was when it first took shape on human lips. It is a name to live up to; but if one who bears it sinks into disrepute it falls not with him, but rather stays in the firmament above him, shining down upon him like a reproachful star.
- 1852 D. H. Jacques, "A Chapter on Names", The Knickerbocker, or, New-York Monthly Magazine, Volume XL, August 1852, page 114:
- (biblical) Two persons of great importance to early Christianity: John the Baptist and John the Apostle, identified with John the Evangelist.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible (Authorized Version), John 1:6:
- There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible (Authorized Version), John 1:6:
- (biblical) The Gospel of St. John, a book of the New Testament of the Bible. Traditionally the fourth of the four gospels.
- (biblical) One of the books in the New Testament of the Bible, the epistles of John (1 John, 2 John and 3 John).
- A patronymic surname.
- (informal) Used frequently to form an idea personified John Bull, John Barleycorn (see derivations below).
- (informal) A name used to address a man whose actual name is not known: John Doe.
Synonyms
- (name used to address a man whose actual name is not known {standard)): sir
- (name used to address a man whose actual name is not known(colloquial or slang)): boy (especially to a younger man), bro (US, New Zealand), gov or guv (British), guvnor (British), Mac (US), man (especially US), mate (British, Australian), mister, son (to a younger man)
Derived terms
terms derived from John (proper noun)Related terms
feminine forms of JohnStatistics
- Most common English words before 1923: answered · thousand · looking · #365: John · hour · air · reason
Danish
Etymology
A contraction of Johannes, later reinforced by the English John.
Proper noun
John c.
- A male given name.
Derived terms
References
- [1] Danskernes Navne: 44 136 males with the given name John (compared to 3 492 named Jon) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1950s. Accessed on March 20th, 2011.
Norwegian
Etymology
Medieval contraction of Johannes later reinforced by the English John. Used as a spelling variant of the more traditional Jon.
Proper noun
John
- A male given name.
Derived terms
References
- Kristoffer Kruken - Ola Stemshaug: Norsk personnamnleksikon, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1995, ISBN 82-521-4483-7
- [2] Statistisk sentralbyrå, Namnestatistikk: 20 361 males with the given name John (compared to 16 263 named Jon) alive in Norway on January 1st 2011, with the frequency peak in the 1920s. Accessed on March 29th 2011.
Swedish
Etymology
From English John. First recorded in Sweden in 1729. Used as a spelling variant of the traditional Swedish Jon.
Proper noun
John
- A male given name.
Derived terms
References
- Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, ISBN 91-21-10937-0
- [3] Statistiska centralbyrån: 66 757 males with the given name John (compared to 5 963 named Jon) alive in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1910s. Accessed on March 29th, 2011.
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