Jack

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

I've been doing a lot of research on the name Jack as a nick name, and can't decide something. Most sources seem to say that Jack is a nn for John, and John is a nn for Jonathan, but Jack is NOT a nn for Jonathan.

WDYT?

If I want to call my kid Jack, can I name him Jonathan or should it be John?

ETA I personally don't like nick names as the main name, and the child would be named after my fil, who is a John. He's really a Yanni, because he's Greek, but he goes by John.

Comments

[my-little-voice.livejournal.com]

If you like Jonathan better than John, then I say go for it. I know of both Johns and Jonathans with the nn of Jack.

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do like Jonathan better...

[areyoustrange.livejournal.com]

Why don't you just call him Jack?

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

Good question. I personally don't like nick names as the main name, and because the child would be named after my fil, who is a John. He's really a Yanni, because he's Greek, but he goes by John.

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

Not that I ever understood why Jack is a nn for John in the first place

Hee hee, yeah, me either. That's why I did some research. According to behindthename.com "Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval pet form of JOHN."

[omfg----hxc.livejournal.com]

I think you should name him John.

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

Thank you! May I ask why?

[omfg----hxc.livejournal.com]

To me Jonathan doesn't say Jack to me b/c Jon is it's separate nickname.
Also, I have a cousin and a grandfather named John and we call them Jack.
So it's what I'm more used to.

[tryyingtoevolve.livejournal.com]

I think if you want to call your kid Jack, you should name him Jack. It's a name on it's own.

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

I would, but I'm choosing between John and Jonathan because they are a family name.

[kristinluffsyou.livejournal.com]

Jack is also a nickname for Jackson... =]

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, but I'm choosing between John and Jonathan.

[aquilinum.livejournal.com]

I also think Jack as a Name name is weird (but as a nickname is great).

But... John isn't historically a nickname of Jonathan. Jon is, but John/Yanni is a name in its own right — different Biblical roots, etc.

Still, so many people think John is derived from Jonathan that Jack as a nickname for Jonathan could work. Why not? People have made funnier leaps that "stuck" in the past!

[nagirrebailed.livejournal.com]

This is what I'm thinking. Also because my husband's family has always made big leaps in their nick names. For example, his grandfather's Greek name is Costas, his legal name is Charles, and he goes by Gus.

[aquilinum.livejournal.com]

That's pretty awesome! My father was supposed to be Hans Peter, but the Brazilian government banned German names and changed it to João Pedro (without telling my grandmother).

And now he lives in the States and goes by Peter, pronounced the English/American way... but it's great when people phone him and ask for "Joan".

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I love the name Jack!
I think John & Jonathan are both cute too =). Just choose the one you like most/feel best about!

[katiesthoughts.livejournal.com]

I'd go with John, since that's your FIL's name. We're going with John as it's both of our dads' legal name, but we're planning on calling him just John, because we already have a little Jack in both our families.

[girlsknowbest.livejournal.com]

My opinion would be Name him John if you're going to call him Jack. That's an easy and logical, well-worn leap.

However, naming him Jonathan, after your FIL John, then calling him Jack...that's just too much leaping. So John gets my vote.

for clarity

[girlsknowbest.livejournal.com]

by leaping, i mean hopping.

i don't think it's a stretch. i just think it's clearer.

[after-the-ashes.livejournal.com]

Jonathan to Jack is not a weird leap, or a big leap, b/c Jonathan to John is really not that different. Jack is a weird nickname for John anyway.

[politicking.livejournal.com]

all jonathans i've known go by 'jon', rather than 'john'... & while i've never heard of them going by 'jack', i think it's a nice alternative.

[ouronlylight.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of John being a nickname for Jonathan... Jon, yes, but not John. John is a name by itself, I think. And while I've never heard of Jack being a nickname for Jonathan, I don't know why you couldn't do it. I know a girl whose mother calls her Liz, yet neither her first or middle names are Elizabeth, or have "Liz" in them. Go for it.

[fudgeboots.livejournal.com]

My best friend's name is Jonathan and his mom and whole family call him Jack.

[christhiane.livejournal.com]

I say go for 'Jonathan' and as far as I know Jon is the most common nick name for that.

However, why don't you just call him Jack? My sister is named after her grandfather. His name was Johannes she is Hanna, so it's more the thought that counts in my opinion.

[hotchpot.livejournal.com]

I think Jack works for Jonathan.

[water-melanie.livejournal.com]

I always heard that Jack was a nn for James. I used to know guys named James that went commonly by Jack.

[lneef.livejournal.com]

I think Jack works for Jonathan just fine.

[regretfulsmile.livejournal.com]

I'd go with John in that case.

[solagirl.livejournal.com]

I think it is great that you want to honor you FIL. If you like Jonathan, name your baby Jonathan. The nn Jack isn't the first one that comes to my mind, but is isn't a stretch either. I totally understand not wanting to use a nn as main names either. I've know a Will and a Charlie that were constantly explaining that they were not William and Charles.