What Is It?
The WordPress.com Daily Writing Prompt for January 23, 2023:
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
My Thoughts
My first name is John.
1. According to Wikipedia, its meaning is:
John (/dʒɒn/; JON) is a common male given name in the English language of Hebrew origin.
The name is the English form of Iohannes and Ioannes, which are the Latin forms of the Greek name Ioannis (Ιωάννης), originally borne by Hellenized Jews transliterating the Hebrew name Yochanan (יוֹחָנָן), the contracted form of the longer name Yehochanan (יְהוֹחָנָן), meaning “Yahweh is Gracious” or “Yahweh is Merciful”.
There are numerous forms of the name in different languages; these were formerly often simply translated as “John” in English, but are increasingly left in their native forms (see sidebar).[2]
Other meanings:
God is gracious, Yahweh is gracious, Yahweh is merciful, God is merciful, Graced by God, Graced by Yahweh, Yahweh has been gracious, God has been gracious, God’s Grace, Yahweh’s Grace.
2. According to Wikipedia, its significance is:
It is among the most commonly given names in Anglophone, Arabic, European, Latin American, Persian and Turkish countries.
Traditionally in the Anglosphere, it was the most common, although it has not been since the latter half of the 20th century.
John owes its unique popularity to two highly revered saints, John the Baptist (forerunner of Jesus Christ) and the apostle John (traditionally considered the author of the Gospel of John); the name has since been chosen as the regnal or religious name of many emperors, kings, popes, and patriarchs.
Initially, it was a favorite name among the Greeks, but it flourished in all of Europe after the First Crusade.[3]
3. According to Wikipedia, its etymology is:
The name John is a theophoric name originating from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān), or in its longer form יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhôḥānān), meaning “Yahweh has been gracious”.[1]
Several obscure figures in the Old Testament bore this name, and it grew in popularity once borne by the high priest Johanan (fl. 407 BC) and especially by King John Hyrcanus (d. 104 BC).
In the second temple period, it was the fifth most popular male name among Jews in Judaea[4] and was borne by several important rabbis, such as Yochanan ben Zakai and Yochanan ben Nuri.
4. I was named after my dad, therefore, I am John Jr.
It is a very generic first name, which has its cons and pros.
When I think about it, if I could have chosen my first name, I currently can not think of another name that I would have chosen, because I currently cannot imagine myself with any other first name.
It is all I have known, and it is part of me now.
The end,
- John Jr
John Jr's Blog 