The Top Ten Facts About the Name "Jack"

Alongside our Games with Names range, today we're taking a quick look at the name Jack.

Jack is a nice name. It's a strong name. A name that can be varied to create cute nicknames like "Jackie" or "Jacky." It's a name that has been around for centuries and has been borne by many famous people, from Jack London to Jack Nicholson. But there are some things about the name "Jack" that you may not know. Here are the top ten facts about the name "Jack"!

10. The name "Jack" is of English origin and means "God is gracious."
9. According to babycenter.com, Jack was the seventh most popular boy's name in 2017.
8. Famous people with the name "Jack" include Jack Benny, Jack Black, Jack White, and Jackie Gleason.
7. There have been seven United States presidents with the name "James," but only one with the name "Jack."
6. In Arthurian legend, Jack is the nickname of Sir Gawain, one of King Arthur's knights of the Round Table.
5. According to an old wives' tale, if you want your child to have a good sense of humor, you should name him or her "Jack."
4. In medieval times, "jack" was used as a generic term for peasant or commoner. It wasn't until the 16th century that it began to be used as a proper first name.
3. There are numerous songs with "Jack" in the title, including “Captain Jack” by Billy Joel, “Jack Ruby” by Deep Purple and “Happy Jack” by The Who.
2. In 2017, actor Channing Tatum named his daughter Everly after his character in the 2006 film Step Up; her full legal name is Everly Elizabeth Maeve Tatum—but her nickname is just plain old "Jack."
1. And finally, perhaps the most surprising fact about the name "Jack" is that it can be used as both a masculine and feminine given name! In 2017, Jack was the 198th most popular girl's name in England and Wales according to babycenter.com—so if you're looking for an unusual but still relatively common baby name, this might be the one for you!

So there you have it—the top ten facts about the name "Jack"! And for every other imaginable Jack fact, please check out our unique Jack Game here.