why did john get called jack?

[crisgal]

I know this has probably been asked before. Does anyone know?

[NazNomad]

Do you mean Black Jack?

[Buenchico]

The name 'Jack' can be traced through monastic records as originating with Johannes (= John) which diverged in the Low Countries to become Jehan, then Jan and (with the addition of the Flemish suffix) Jankin. The French pronunciation of that name sounded like Jackin, which became shortened to Jack.

Source: Summarised from "Choosing a Name", compiled by Moyna Kitchin, published by Galley Press and sitting on my bookshelf just in case someone asks a question like yours ;-)

Chris

[sherrardk]

Had many a long discussion about this with my husband when thinking of a name for our second son - I wanted Jack, he wanted John (but we could call him Jack!), didn't get this 'logic' at all. So our second son's name is Jack.

[jno]

the names seem to have parted company these days, and Jack has become a common name while John has ceased to be one.

[mike11111]

Jack originally was given to people called James, from the French Jacques. Don't know why it became a name for people called John.

[Quizmonster]

'Jack' has been the familiar form of 'John' for at least 800 years. Many people believe it came from the French name Jacques, but the Oxford English Dictionary doubts this. They are much happier with the case - made over a century ago by the scholar EWB Nicholson at Oxford - that the word actually originated in that form as a diminutive for 'John'. In other words, it's just as much a name in its own right as 'John' or any other name is.

[heathfield]

It's one of the names that has gone through countless variations. Even the name 'Hans' comes from the same origins, through the variant 'Johannes'.

[jackthehat]

Because 'johnthehat' would just have been silly...........!! :o)

[lankeela]

Well had I been a boy I would have been called John, after my uncle Jack, who was really John, but as I was a girlie I was called Jacqueline, Jacky for short. Amazing how many different ways there are to spell it. Mine's with a y, but it can be Jackie, Jacqui, Jacki, and I went to school (occasionally) with a Jackalyn. Then there's Jaclyn. Most people pronounce it Jackalin, but me mam always called me Jackaleen.

[lankeela]

Just remember my friends old Norfolk born grandad always called me Jonaleen Joyleen, wonder if the Jonaleen bit came about like the above discussion.

[shaneystar2]

My Dad was a John but everyone called him Jack .I have a brother Jack too and I'm also a Jack . Same as Lankeela .I'm a Jacqueline ,Jacqui or Jac for short .But if Mum shouted Jacqueline I knew I was in for a wigging from her :)
She often used to yell out ..Jack ..and three of us would answer .