Jack is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Jack means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Jack across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Jack has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Jack is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. originally a medieval nickname for John.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 759,677 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 187,486 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 20,157 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 7,843 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 24,391 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 10,916 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Jack per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1927 (12,884/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (10,779/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2008 (1,151/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1999 (883/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2001 (384/yr).
Jack has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1927, when it ranked #28 nationally (given to 12,884 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Jackie · Jake · Jacque · Jacky · Jacki · Jahkai · Jock · Jacqui
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