Jack /ˈdʒæk/ is a male given name, although in some cases it can be used as a female given name (a shortened versioned of "Jacqueline" or "Jackie", for example), and sometimes as a surname. In English Jack was traditionally used as the diminutive form of John, though it is now also a proper name in its own right.
The name Jack is unusual in the English language for its frequency of use as a verb and a noun for many common objects and actions, and its use in many compound words and phrases, e.g.: apple jack, hijack, jack of clubs (playing card), jack straw (scarecrow), jack tar (sailor), jack-in-the-box, jack-of-all-trades, jack o'lantern, jackdaw, jackhammer, jackknife, jackpot, lumberjack, union jack, etc. The Encyclopædia Britannica article on the history of the word "jack" linked it directly to the common name: "Jack, a word with a great variety of meanings and applications, all traceable to the common use of the word as a by-name of a man."
Jack is thought to hark back to Medieval times as a common derivative of the name John. The nickname has also been seen as Jackie among men (examples of note: Jackie Coogan, Jackie Cooper, and Jackie Gleason, all formally named John). This "Jackie" diminutive of the nickname Jack is thought by some to have hailed from the earlier "Jackin" (born of the appellation Jankin). Alternatively, it may be derived from the name Jacques, the French form of the name James or Jacob. 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 British Yakkios. Whatever its origin, both the name and the word "jack" were long used as a term to refer to any man, especially of the common classes.
In recent years (most notably since 2003), the nickname Jack (for the more formal John and, to a lesser extent, for Jacob) has become increasingly used as the actual formal name (i.e., baptismal name rather than a nickname) for boys in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United States, and Wales. Jack was included on lists of the most frequently used male baby names in the UK for 2003–2007. The high status of Jack as a formal male given name (versus its traditional John-derivative) is a recent phenomenon, although the formal name from which it derives – John – has held the title, along with William, of most frequent male name throughout the 1880s and first half of the 1900s. In 1994, "Jack" was the most popular name in London but does not appear among the top-10 most popular in the preceding 970 years. A survey in December 2008 showed that Jack was the most popular name in the UK for the 14th year running, since it took over from Thomas in 1994.
In 2014, Jack was again the most popular name for baby boys in Ireland.
In 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2013, Jack was the most common boy's name in Australia.
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. However, the frequency of use of "Jack" as a baby name has steadily increased from the 160–170 rank prior to 1991 to a rank of 35 in 2006.
Jock is the Scottish form of the name John. Its similarity to the common John derivative or nickname Jack is apparent.
The appearance of "Jack" as a surname is much less frequent than its use as a male given name. In 1990, in the United States, this surname is shared by about 0.007% of the population, though the geographical distribution of the surname has been broad since at least 1840, at which time there was a modest concentration of Jacks in Pennsylvania. In the late 19th century, the geographic distribution of Jacks in England was also broad, with concentration in North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and southern North West England. In 1891, the highest concentration of Jacks in the United Kingdom appeared in Scotland. The surname is considered almost exclusively Scottish.
Jack Abel, American comic book artist
Jack Abramoff, former American lobbyist, businessman, movie producer, and writer
Jack Adams, several people
Jack Aker, American former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher
Jack Albertson (1907–1981), American actor
Jack Angel, American actor
Jack Arute, currently covers the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio
Jack Asher, English cinematographer
Jack Barakat, lead guitarist for punk rock band All Time Low
Jack Benny, American comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor, and violinist
Jack Black, American actor, musician and comedian
Jack Blott, All-American football center and place kicker
Jack Brabham, Australian racing driver
Jack Brickhouse, American sportscaster
Jack Brisco, American professional wrestler
Jack Bruce, Scottish musician, composer, and vocalist
Jack Buck, American sportscaster
Jack Cade, the leader of a popular revolt against the government of England in 1450
Jack Bridger Chalker, British artist and teacher
Jack L. Chalker, American science fiction author
Jack Charlton, English former footballer and manager
Jack Chesbro, Major League Baseball pitcher
Jack T. Chick, American publisher, writer, and comic book artist of evangelical fundamentalist Christian tracts and comic books
Jack Clarke (Australian footballer, born 1933), Australian rules footballer and coach in the VFL
Jack Cock, English footballer
Jack Coombs, pitcher in Major League Baseball
Jack Cork, English footballer
Jack Crawford, several people
Jack Crisp, professional Australian rules football player
Jack Cronin, American football player
Jack Cust, American former professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder
Jack Daly, Fine Gael politician from County Kerry in Ireland
Jack Daniels, several people
Jack Dann, American writer
Jack Dee, English stand-up comedian, actor, and writer
Jack DeJohnette, American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer
Jack Del Rio, American football coach
Jack Dempsey, several people
Jack Doan, American veteran professional wrestling referee
Jack Dorsey, Co-founder and CEO of Twitter
Jack Douglass, American YouTube comedian of "jacksfilms" fame
Jack Dromey, British Labour Party politician and trade unionist
Jack Dugger, deriv. of John; American football player
Jack Dyer, prominent figure in Australian rules football
Jack Elam, American film and television actor
Jack Elder, former New Zealand politician
Jack Ellena, American football player
Jack Elway, American football player and head coach
Jack Ely, American guitarist and singer
Jack Endino, producer and musician based in Seattle
Jack Evans, several people
Jack Faber, American microbiologist and college football and lacrosse coach
Jack Falahee, American actor, star of How To Get Away With Murder.
Jack Fellure, American perennial political candidate and retired engineer
Jack Fingleton, Australian cricketer
Jack Finney, American author
Jack Fleck, American professional golfer
Jack Foley, several people
Jack Fultz, retired American long-distance runner
Jack Garfinkel, American basketball player
Jack Givens, retired American collegiate and professional basketball player
Jack Glasscock, American shortstop in Major League Baseball
Jack Gold, British film and television director
Jack Goody, British social anthropologist
Jack Gotta, American-born Canadian professional football player, coach, and general manager
Jack Graf, two-sport athlete
Jack Graney, Canadian left fielder in Major League Baseball
Jack Grant, Australian rules footballer
Jack Greenwell, English footballer and manager
Jack Haden, American football player
Jack Hale, Australian rules footballer
Jack Haley, several people
Jack Halliday (American football), American football player
Jack Ham, former American football linebacker
Jack Hanna, American zookeeper
Jack Hannah, animator, writer, and director of animated shorts
Jack Herer, American cannabis activist
Jack Hill, several people
Jack Hirsh, Canadian clinician and scientist
Jack Hobbs, English professional cricketer
Jack Hoffman (American football), American football player
Jack Holt, several people
Jack Randolph Hutchins, American genealogist
Jack Hyles, leading figure in the Independent Baptist movement
Jack Iddon, English cricketer
Jack Ikin, English cricketer
Jack Ingram, several people
Jack Iroga, sprinter from the Solomon Islands
Jack Irons, American musician
Jack Iverson, Australian cricketer
Jack Jacobs, several people
Jack Jewsbury, American soccer player
Jack Johnson, several people
Jack Jones, several people
Jack Kamen, American illustrator for books, magazines, comic books, and advertising
Jack Katz, American businessman
Jack Keane, retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and defense analyst
Jack Kemp, American politician and collegiate and professional football player
Jack Kennedy, deriv. of John; American President
Jack Kerouac, deriv. of Jean-Louis; American novelist
Jack Ketch, an infamous English executioner employed by King Charles II
Jack Kevorkian, deriv. of Jacob; American doctor
Jack Kilby, American electrical engineer
Jack Kirby, several people
Jack Klugman, deriv. of Thomas Jacob; American actor
Jack Kornfield, American author and teacher in the vipassana movement in American Theravada Buddhism
Jack Ladyman, American politician
Jack Layton, Canadian social democratic politician and Leader of the Official Opposition
Jack Leathersich, American Baseball Player
Jack Lemmon, deriv. of John; American actor
Jack Lew, American government administrator, attorney, and 76th and current United States Secretary of the Treasury
Jack London, several people
Jack Lord, American television, film, and Broadway actor
Jack Lynch, several people
Jack Ma, Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist
Jack Mack, Australian rules footballer
Jack Mara, co-owner of the New York Giants
Jack Marsh, Australian first-class cricketer
Jack McBrayer, American comedic actor
Jack McCall, murderer of Old West legend Wild Bill Hickok
Jack McConnell, former First Minister of Scotland
Jack McCracken, American basketball player in 1930s and 1940s
Jack Morris, American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher
Jack Nance, American actor of stage and screen
Jack Narz, American television announcer and game show host
Jack Nasher, German business psychologist, author, and a professor at Munich Business School
Jack Neo, Singaporean film and television actor, host, and director
Jack Nicholson, deriv. of John; American actor
Jack Nicklaus, American golfer
Jack Nitzsche, musician, arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composer
Jack Novak, American former professional football player
Jack Null, American college basketball coach
Jack Oakie, American actor
Jack O'Connell, British actor
Jack Ohman, editorial cartoonist at The Sacramento Bee
Jack Okey, American art director
Jack Oleck, American novelist and comic book writer
Jack Olsen, American journalist and author
Jack O'Neill, several people
Jack Osbourne, English media personality
Jack O'Shea, former Irish sportsperson
Jack Owen, several people
Jack Paar, American author, radio, and television comedian and talk show host
Jack Palance, American actor
Jack Pardee, American football linebacker and head coach
Jack Parsons, several people
Jack Patera, former American football player and coach in the National Football League
Jack Peart, English footballer
Jack Pickersgill, Canadian civil servant and politician
Jack Joseph Puig, Grammy Award-winning music engineer and producer
Jack Quaid, American actor
Jack Quinlan, American sportscaster
Jack Quinn, several people
Jack N. Rakove, American historian, author, professor at Stanford University, and Pulitzer Prize winner
Jack Ralite, French politician
Jack Ramsay, American basketball coach
Jack Reed, several people
Jack Regan, several people
Jack Rieley, American record producer
Jack Riewoldt, professional Australian rules footballer
Jack Rosenthal, English playwright
Jack Roush, founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing
Jack Ruby, nightclub operator who killed Lee Harvey Oswald
Jack Russell, several people
Jack Shepherd, several people
Jack Sikma, retired American NBA basketball center
Jack Sock, American tennis player
Jack Souther, an American-Canadian geologist
Jack Steinberger, physicist
Jack Straw, deriv. of John; British politician
Jack Swagger, American professional wrestler
Jack Swift, Australian athletics competitor and paratriathlete
Jack Tatum, American football safety
Jack Tighe, American coach, manager, and scout for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball
Jack Titus, Australian rules football player
Jack Trice, American football player
Jack Troy, Australian rugby league footballer
Jack Twyman, American professional basketball player and sports broadcaster
Jack Ulrich, Canadian professional ice hockey right winger
Jack Underman, American basketball player
Jack Underwood, professional football player
Jack Unruh, commercial illustrator
Jack Unterweger, Austrian serial killer
Jack Urban, former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher
Jack Vale (disambiguation), former Australian rules footballer
Jack Valenti, longtime president of the Motion Picture Association of America
Jack Van Berg, American Hall of Fame horse trainer
Jack Van Impe, American televangelist
Jack Vance, deriv. of John; American author
Jack Vettriano, Scottish painter
Jack Victory, American professional wrestler and manager
Jack Vidgen, Australian singer
Jack Viney, professional Australian rules football player
Jack Voigt, former Major League Baseball outfielder
Jack Vosti, Australian rules footballer
Jack Waite, former American tennis player
Jack Warner, several people
Jack Webb, American actor, television producer, director, and screenwriter
Jack Welch, several people
Jack White, several people
Jack Wild, English actor
Jack Williamson, American science fiction writer
Jack Wilshere, English footballer
Jack Liangjie Xu, former Co-President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SINA Corporation
Jack Yan, New Zealand publisher, designer, and businessman
Jack Yang, Harvard scientist and chair of board of directors of International Society of Intelligent Biological Medicine (ISIBM)
Jack Yarber, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Jack Yeandle, English rugby union player
Jack Yellen, American lyricist and screenwriter
Jack Yerman, former American athlete
Jack Yost, Democratic member of the West Virginia Senate
Jack Youngblood, American former college and professional football player
Jack Youngerman, American artist
Jack Zajac, American artist
Jack Zduriencik, General Manager of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners
Jack Zelig, American gangster
Jack Zeller, American baseball executive
Jack Zhao, Chinese professional contract bridge player
Jack Ziebell, Australian rules footballer
Jack Zilly, professional American football player
Jack Zipes, American retired Professor of German at the University of Minnesota
Jack Zouhary, United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
Jack Zunz, civil engineer and former chairman of Ove Arup & Partners
Jack, a furry webcomic by David Hopkins
Jack Horner in Bill Willingham's Fables and spin-offs.
Jack Noir, one of the main villains in Homestuck
Black Jack, main character of the manga Black Jack (manga)
Jack, a pseudonym used for the Narrator in the 1999 film Fight Club
Jack Bell, from Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line
Jack Burton, fictional character from the film Big Trouble in Little China
Jack Brooks, fictional character from the film Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer
Jack Campbell, fictional character from the film The Family Man
Jack Crawford, fictional character from the film The Silence of the Lambs
Jack Dawson, fictional character from the 1997 film Titanic
Jack Frost, fictional character from the film Rise of the Guardians
Jack Powell, fictional character from the film Jack
Jack Reacher, fictional character from the film of the same name
Jack Ryan, a fictional character from the Tom Clancy films
Jack Skellington, fictional character from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Sparrow, fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Jack Torrance, fictional character from the film The Shining
Jack, an archetypal English hero of such fairy tales as "Jack and the Beanstalk"
Jack Aubrey, an officer in the Royal Navy of the Napoleonic Wars, one of the two main characters in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian
Jack Merridew, leader of the boys' choir that became his hunting band in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Jack Reacher, protagonist in a series of novels written by Lee Child
Jack Ryan, protagonist in a series of novels written by Tom Clancy
Jack West Jr, (character, given name shortened from Jonathan) protagonist in a series of novels written by Matthew Reilly
"Jack and Jill"
"Jack Be Nimble"
"Jack Spratt"
"Little Jack Horner"
"Ballin' the Jack", a popular song that introduced a dance of the same name
"Big Jack", a song by AC/DC
"Captain Jack", an early Billy Joel song about a heroin dealer
"Happy Jack", a song by The Who, and the U.S. title of their second album
"Hey Jack Kerouac", a song by 10,000 Maniacs
"Hit the Road Jack", a song written by Percy Mayfield and recorded by various artists
"Jack and Diane", a song by John Mellencamp
"Jack Straw, a song by The Grateful Dead
"Jumpin' Jack Flash", a song by the Rolling Stones
"Ode to Billy Jack", theme song for the film Billy Jack
"Smackwater Jack", a ballad by Carole King
"The Jack", a song by AC/DC
Jack, from the children's TV series Jack's Big Music Show
Jack, a main character in the Canadian television series Rusty Rivets
Jack, main character in the animated TV series Samurai Jack
Jack, a front-loader from the TV series Thomas and Friends
Jack Bauer, main character in the TV series 24
Jack Bowser, a character from the reboot of Electric Company in their 24 Seconds segments
Jack Branning, fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders
Jack Carter, a character in the TV series Eureka
Jack Colero, one of the main characters in The Nutshack
Jack Donaghy, fictional character in the TV series 30 Rock
Jack Fenton, main character from Danny Phantom
Fr Jack Hackett, fictional character in the TV series Father Ted
Jack Harkness, main character in the TV series Torchwood & reappearing character in the TV series Doctor Who
Jack Hodgins, fictional character from the TV series Bones (TV series)
Jack Landors (Power Rangers SPD) 1st Red SPD Ranger"
Jack O'Neill, main character in the TV series Stargate SG-1
Jack Shephard, main character in the TV series Lost
Jack Spicer, fictional villain in the TV series Xiaolin Showdown
Jack Tripper, fictional character in the TV sitcom series Three's Company and Three's a Crowd
Ultraman Jack, from the 1971 tokusatsu series The Return of Ultraman
Handsome Jack, the main antagonist from Borderlands 2
Jack (a.k.a. Subject Zero), a female squad member from the Mass Effect series; her real name is revealed to be Jennifer in Mass Effect 3
Jack (a.k.a. Big Boss or Naked Snake) from the Metal Gear Solid series
Jack (a.k.a. Raiden), from the Metal Gear Solid series
Jack (followed by a number from 1–7), a playable character from Tekken series
Jack of Blades, the antagonist of Fable
Jack Cayman, the protagonist of Anarchy Reigns and MadWorld
Jack Joyce, the protagonist of Quantum Break
Jack Mitchell, the protagonist of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Jack Morrison (a.k.a. Soldier: 76) a playable character from Overwatch
Jack Wynand, (a.k.a. Jack Ryan), the silent protagonist of BioShock
Jack (mascot), the official spokesman for the American restaurant chain Jack in the Box
Jack the Bulldog, Georgetown University mascot
Jack Frost, bringer of winter in folklore
Jack Frost, a brand of sugar
Jack Pattillo of Achievement Hunter
Eyeless Jack, a creepypasta character that steals people's organs
Laughing Jack, the killer clown from creepypasta
