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 artistJack Abramoff, former American lobbyist, businessman, movie producer, and writerJack Adams, several peopleJack Aker, American former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcherJack Albertson (1907–1981), American actorJack Angel, American actorJack Arute, currently covers the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM RadioJack Asher, English cinematographerJack Barakat, lead guitarist for punk rock band All Time LowJack Benny, American comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television, and film actor, and violinistJack Black, American actor, musician and comedianJack Blott, All-American football center and place kickerJack Brabham, Australian racing driverJack Brickhouse, American sportscasterJack Brisco, American professional wrestlerJack Bruce, Scottish musician, composer, and vocalistJack Buck, American sportscasterJack Cade, the leader of a popular revolt against the government of England in 1450Jack Bridger Chalker, British artist and teacherJack L. Chalker, American science fiction authorJack Charlton, English former footballer and managerJack Chesbro, Major League Baseball pitcherJack T. Chick, American publisher, writer, and comic book artist of evangelical fundamentalist Christian tracts and comic booksJack Clarke (Australian footballer, born 1933), Australian rules footballer and coach in the VFLJack Cock, English footballerJack Coombs, pitcher in Major League BaseballJack Cork, English footballerJack Crawford, several peopleJack Crisp, professional Australian rules football playerJack Cronin, American football playerJack Cust, American former professional baseball designated hitter and outfielderJack Daly, Fine Gael politician from County Kerry in IrelandJack Daniels, several peopleJack Dann, American writerJack Dee, English stand-up comedian, actor, and writerJack DeJohnette, American jazz drummer, pianist, and composerJack Del Rio, American football coachJack Dempsey, several peopleJack Doan, American veteran professional wrestling refereeJack Dorsey, Co-founder and CEO of TwitterJack Douglass, American YouTube comedian of "jacksfilms" fameJack Dromey, British Labour Party politician and trade unionistJack Dugger, deriv. of John; American football playerJack Dyer, prominent figure in Australian rules footballJack Elam, American film and television actorJack Elder, former New Zealand politicianJack Ellena, American football playerJack Elway, American football player and head coachJack Ely, American guitarist and singerJack Endino, producer and musician based in SeattleJack Evans, several peopleJack Faber, American microbiologist and college football and lacrosse coachJack Falahee, American actor, star of How To Get Away With Murder.Jack Fellure, American perennial political candidate and retired engineerJack Fingleton, Australian cricketerJack Finney, American authorJack Fleck, American professional golferJack Foley, several peopleJack Fultz, retired American long-distance runnerJack Garfinkel, American basketball playerJack Givens, retired American collegiate and professional basketball playerJack Glasscock, American shortstop in Major League BaseballJack Gold, British film and television directorJack Goody, British social anthropologistJack Gotta, American-born Canadian professional football player, coach, and general managerJack Graf, two-sport athleteJack Graney, Canadian left fielder in Major League BaseballJack Grant, Australian rules footballerJack Greenwell, English footballer and managerJack Haden, American football playerJack Hale, Australian rules footballerJack Haley, several peopleJack Halliday (American football), American football playerJack Ham, former American football linebackerJack Hanna, American zookeeperJack Hannah, animator, writer, and director of animated shortsJack Herer, American cannabis activistJack Hill, several peopleJack Hirsh, Canadian clinician and scientistJack Hobbs, English professional cricketerJack Hoffman (American football), American football playerJack Holt, several peopleJack Randolph Hutchins, American genealogistJack Hyles, leading figure in the Independent Baptist movementJack Iddon, English cricketerJack Ikin, English cricketerJack Ingram, several peopleJack Iroga, sprinter from the Solomon IslandsJack Irons, American musicianJack Iverson, Australian cricketerJack Jacobs, several peopleJack Jewsbury, American soccer playerJack Johnson, several peopleJack Jones, several peopleJack Kamen, American illustrator for books, magazines, comic books, and advertisingJack Katz, American businessmanJack Keane, retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and defense analystJack Kemp, American politician and collegiate and professional football playerJack Kennedy, deriv. of John; American PresidentJack Kerouac, deriv. of Jean-Louis; American novelistJack Ketch, an infamous English executioner employed by King Charles IIJack Kevorkian, deriv. of Jacob; American doctorJack Kilby, American electrical engineerJack Kirby, several peopleJack Klugman, deriv. of Thomas Jacob; American actorJack Kornfield, American author and teacher in the vipassana movement in American Theravada BuddhismJack Ladyman, American politicianJack Layton, Canadian social democratic politician and Leader of the Official OppositionJack Leathersich, American Baseball PlayerJack Lemmon, deriv. of John; American actorJack Lew, American government administrator, attorney, and 76th and current United States Secretary of the TreasuryJack London, several peopleJack Lord, American television, film, and Broadway actorJack Lynch, several peopleJack Ma, Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropistJack Mack, Australian rules footballerJack Mara, co-owner of the New York GiantsJack Marsh, Australian first-class cricketerJack McBrayer, American comedic actorJack McCall, murderer of Old West legend Wild Bill HickokJack McConnell, former First Minister of ScotlandJack McCracken, American basketball player in 1930s and 1940sJack Morris, American former Major League Baseball starting pitcherJack Nance, American actor of stage and screenJack Narz, American television announcer and game show hostJack Nasher, German business psychologist, author, and a professor at Munich Business SchoolJack Neo, Singaporean film and television actor, host, and directorJack Nicholson, deriv. of John; American actorJack Nicklaus, American golferJack Nitzsche, musician, arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composerJack Novak, American former professional football playerJack Null, American college basketball coachJack Oakie, American actorJack O'Connell, British actorJack Ohman, editorial cartoonist at The Sacramento BeeJack Okey, American art directorJack Oleck, American novelist and comic book writerJack Olsen, American journalist and authorJack O'Neill, several peopleJack Osbourne, English media personalityJack O'Shea, former Irish sportspersonJack Owen, several peopleJack Paar, American author, radio, and television comedian and talk show hostJack Palance, American actorJack Pardee, American football linebacker and head coachJack Parsons, several peopleJack Patera, former American football player and coach in the National Football LeagueJack Peart, English footballerJack Pickersgill, Canadian civil servant and politicianJack Joseph Puig, Grammy Award-winning music engineer and producerJack Quaid, American actorJack Quinlan, American sportscasterJack Quinn, several peopleJack N. Rakove, American historian, author, professor at Stanford University, and Pulitzer Prize winnerJack Ralite, French politicianJack Ramsay, American basketball coachJack Reed, several peopleJack Regan, several peopleJack Rieley, American record producerJack Riewoldt, professional Australian rules footballerJack Rosenthal, English playwrightJack Roush, founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway RacingJack Ruby, nightclub operator who killed Lee Harvey OswaldJack Russell, several peopleJack Shepherd, several peopleJack Sikma, retired American NBA basketball centerJack Sock, American tennis playerJack Souther, an American-Canadian geologistJack Steinberger, physicistJack Straw, deriv. of John; British politicianJack Swagger, American professional wrestlerJack Swift, Australian athletics competitor and paratriathleteJack Tatum, American football safetyJack Tighe, American coach, manager, and scout for the Detroit Tigers of Major League BaseballJack Titus, Australian rules football playerJack Trice, American football playerJack Troy, Australian rugby league footballerJack Twyman, American professional basketball player and sports broadcasterJack Ulrich, Canadian professional ice hockey right wingerJack Underman, American basketball playerJack Underwood, professional football playerJack Unruh, commercial illustratorJack Unterweger, Austrian serial killerJack Urban, former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcherJack Vale (disambiguation), former Australian rules footballerJack Valenti, longtime president of the Motion Picture Association of AmericaJack Van Berg, American Hall of Fame horse trainerJack Van Impe, American televangelistJack Vance, deriv. of John; American authorJack Vettriano, Scottish painterJack Victory, American professional wrestler and managerJack Vidgen, Australian singerJack Viney, professional Australian rules football playerJack Voigt, former Major League Baseball outfielderJack Vosti, Australian rules footballerJack Waite, former American tennis playerJack Warner, several peopleJack Webb, American actor, television producer, director, and screenwriterJack Welch, several peopleJack White, several peopleJack Wild, English actorJack Williamson, American science fiction writerJack Wilshere, English footballerJack Liangjie Xu, former Co-President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of SINA CorporationJack Yan, New Zealand publisher, designer, and businessmanJack Yang, Harvard scientist and chair of board of directors of International Society of Intelligent Biological Medicine (ISIBM)Jack Yarber, American singer, songwriter, and guitaristJack Yeandle, English rugby union playerJack Yellen, American lyricist and screenwriterJack Yerman, former American athleteJack Yost, Democratic member of the West Virginia SenateJack Youngblood, American former college and professional football playerJack Youngerman, American artistJack Zajac, American artistJack Zduriencik, General Manager of Major League Baseball's Seattle MarinersJack Zelig, American gangsterJack Zeller, American baseball executiveJack Zhao, Chinese professional contract bridge playerJack Ziebell, Australian rules footballerJack Zilly, professional American football playerJack Zipes, American retired Professor of German at the University of MinnesotaJack Zouhary, United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of OhioJack Zunz, civil engineer and former chairman of Ove Arup & PartnersJack, a furry webcomic by David HopkinsJack Horner in Bill Willingham's Fables and spin-offs.Jack Noir, one of the main villains in HomestuckBlack Jack, main character of the manga Black Jack (manga)Jack, a pseudonym used for the Narrator in the 1999 film Fight ClubJack Bell, from Terrence Malick's The Thin Red LineJack Burton, fictional character from the film Big Trouble in Little ChinaJack Brooks, fictional character from the film Jack Brooks: Monster SlayerJack Campbell, fictional character from the film The Family ManJack Crawford, fictional character from the film The Silence of the LambsJack Dawson, fictional character from the 1997 film TitanicJack Frost, fictional character from the film Rise of the GuardiansJack Powell, fictional character from the film JackJack Reacher, fictional character from the film of the same nameJack Ryan, a fictional character from the Tom Clancy filmsJack Skellington, fictional character from the film The Nightmare Before ChristmasJack Sparrow, fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.Jack Torrance, fictional character from the film The ShiningJack, 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'BrianJack Merridew, leader of the boys' choir that became his hunting band in the novel Lord of the Flies by William GoldingJack Reacher, protagonist in a series of novels written by Lee ChildJack Ryan, protagonist in a series of novels written by Tom ClancyJack 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/DCJack, from the children's TV series Jack's Big Music ShowJack, a main character in the Canadian television series Rusty RivetsJack, main character in the animated TV series Samurai JackJack, a front-loader from the TV series Thomas and FriendsJack Bauer, main character in the TV series 24Jack Bowser, a character from the reboot of Electric Company in their 24 Seconds segmentsJack Branning, fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEndersJack Carter, a character in the TV series EurekaJack Colero, one of the main characters in The NutshackJack Donaghy, fictional character in the TV series 30 RockJack Fenton, main character from Danny PhantomFr Jack Hackett, fictional character in the TV series Father TedJack Harkness, main character in the TV series Torchwood & reappearing character in the TV series Doctor WhoJack 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-1Jack Shephard, main character in the TV series LostJack Spicer, fictional villain in the TV series Xiaolin ShowdownJack Tripper, fictional character in the TV sitcom series Three's Company and Three's a CrowdUltraman Jack, from the 1971 tokusatsu series The Return of UltramanHandsome Jack, the main antagonist from Borderlands 2Jack (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 3Jack (a.k.a. Big Boss or Naked Snake) from the Metal Gear Solid seriesJack (a.k.a. Raiden), from the Metal Gear Solid seriesJack (followed by a number from 1–7), a playable character from Tekken seriesJack of Blades, the antagonist of FableJack Cayman, the protagonist of Anarchy Reigns and MadWorldJack Joyce, the protagonist of Quantum BreakJack Mitchell, the protagonist of Call of Duty: Advanced WarfareJack Morrison (a.k.a. Soldier: 76) a playable character from OverwatchJack Wynand, (a.k.a. Jack Ryan), the silent protagonist of BioShockJack (mascot), the official spokesman for the American restaurant chain Jack in the BoxJack the Bulldog, Georgetown University mascotJack Frost, bringer of winter in folkloreJack Frost, a brand of sugarJack Pattillo of Achievement HunterEyeless Jack, a creepypasta character that steals people's organsLaughing Jack, the killer clown from creepypasta
