How to say it
JOHN · ny
/ˈdʒɑː.ni/
Masculine
Johnny
God is gracious
What it means
A friendly pet form of John, from the Hebrew for 'God is gracious.'
Johnny is the warm, casual pet form of John, which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious.' It carries a rockabilly, all-American swagger through Johnny Cash and Johnny Depp, and now stands on its own birth certificates. Approachable and a little nostalgic. Said JAH-nee.
Popularity over time
peaked at #45 in 1944, currently #458 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
A pet form of John, now used on its own.
- Pop culture
Johnny Cash; Johnny Depp.
Spelling variants
- Johnnie
- John
- Jonny
Names with the same feeling
See Johnny from another angle
By meaning