John (given Name)
John is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Latin Ioannes, Iohannes, which is in turn a form of the Greek Ἰωάννης, Iōánnēs. This Greek name is a form of the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן, Yôḥanan, which means "Graced by Yahweh". There are numerous forms of the name in different languages.
It is among the most common given names in Anglophone and European countries; traditionally, it was the most common, although it has not been since the latter half of the 20th century. John owes its unique popularity to the vast number of Emperors, Kings, Popes and Patriarchs that have borne the name; and also to two highly revered saints, John the Baptist and the apostle John, who wrote the Book of Revelation. Initially, it was a favorite name among the Greeks but it flourished in all of Europe after the First Crusade.
Read more about John (given Name): Origins, Name Statistics, Common Mistakes, In Other Languages
Famous quotes containing the word john:
“Ambivalence reaches the level of schizophrenia in our treatment of violence among the young. Parents do not encourage violence, but neither do they take up arms against the industries which encourage it. Parents hide their eyes from the books and comics, slasher films, videos and lyrics which form the texture of an adolescent culture. While all successful societies have inhibited instinct, ours encourages it. Or at least we profess ourselves powerless to interfere with it.”
—C. John Sommerville (20th century)