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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Jack

36 replies

Lemondrop09 · 05/04/2017 00:37

How popular is Jack, really? I'm trying to pick a name outside of the top 10, but the name Jack came out of an inside joke but I actually quite like it.

Thing is, I worked in a nursery a few years ago and we had four Jacks in the baby room alone. They were never called Jack, they were always Jack G, Jack R etc.

I appreciate you cannot predict future name trends or who ends up in your child's school. However I would like to avoid the inevitable Name + Initial where possible (although DH did point out that our surname initial would be a kind of cool nickname - Jack L!)

So Jack is number 2 on the UK charts. But I haven't met a baby Jack for a while. Is it really that popular? How many Jacks do you know and what age range are they?

Btw, really dislike Jackson/Jaxon, before anyone suggests these as an alternative. They seem to be rising in popularity anyway.

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SushiMash · 05/04/2017 22:23

The Jack I know is 37

Pibplob · 05/04/2017 20:32

One of my boys is Jack. He's the only one in his year group but there are 2 others in the school. I was worried about using it as it's such aboooular name but I loved it and used it. Thomas and George are way more popular where we are. There are 3 George's in his class and another one in the other class and 3 Thomas's spread over the two class year group.

buttercup54321 · 05/04/2017 20:24

lovely name.

Original poster
Lemondrop09 · 05/04/2017 20:19

Thanks everyone, interesting replies. Definitely food for thought. We're in SW London too.

I'm not hell bent on Jack. Like I said, it came up as part of a joke and then just sort of stuck. I do think it's a lovely name but the popularity spoils it a bit. Will keep it on the list for now (we don't know gender yet so it might not even be an issue)

OP posts:
Bear2014 · 05/04/2017 18:56

I think it's quite regional. We know loads of Jacks and you hear it out and about lots too. I know/hear of no Olivers, Harrys, Jacobs or Charlies, despite them supposedly being just as popular. We're in South London.

CactusFred · 05/04/2017 16:12

I have a four year old and there are no Jacks at his nursery from babies to his age.

The only Jack we know is a dog!

Greenfingeredfun · 05/04/2017 15:41

Not keen on Jack at all, Jakes a far better alternative

Salmotrutta · 05/04/2017 15:39

You could try the Scottish version?

Jock...

Choccyhobnob · 05/04/2017 15:20

It's weird I don't know any! Think I've worked with 2 in 10 years, don't know any under the age of 5 and only 1 in my circle of friends aged 30!

daisydalrymple · 05/04/2017 15:13

No jacks in either ds1's class or dd's class. (Years 5&3). None in the classes either side of them either. They've never had any in rugby / football / gymnastics / swimming classes.

Yes it's a popular name, but that's because it's a great name.

whatsinaname11 · 05/04/2017 15:09

I know three Jacks born last year and another one born this year so far...It was on our list but it's popularity has put us off.

daisychicken · 05/04/2017 15:00

I have a Jack - 15 - he's the only Jack in his school year through primary and his secondary school. There was a Jack in the year below him at primary and a friends nephew was called Jack - he's a couple of years older and in a different area to us. That is it within our "circle". It may be popular but it hasn't been noticable iyswim. I love ds's name and it's popular enough we could buy items with his name on when he was little unlike ds2 who's name is very unpopular in people under the age of 40 (we know of one other young 'ds2's name' and he is 10 years older) so very rare to find anything with his name on.

mugglebumthesecond · 05/04/2017 14:58

There are no jacks in my DC primary school! I adore the name. Much better than Josh, Jake, Sam, will, Alex, Joe etc which are most common.

Jak or Jac are alternative spellings

grufallosfriend · 05/04/2017 14:50

There are SO SO many young/teen Jacks out there! I think it was nr 1 for quite a few years.

He will likely need a surname initial to the identity himself at school and work. Hopefully he has a less common surname as he'll otherwise struggle to be 'googlable' or found on sites like LinkedIn.

Personally I'd avoid such a popular name, there are so many lovely names to choose from!

sidonie1 · 05/04/2017 14:23

I have a four year old Jack and it's not unusual to meet another, but there don't seem to be loads here (SW of London). In his class there are 3 Islas; 3 Ollies; loads of Amelias, but just one Jack. He's often the only Jack in the group.

sidonie1 · 05/04/2017 14:22

I have a four year old Jack and it's not unusual to meet another, but there don't seem to be loads here (SW of London). In his class there are 3 Islas; 3 Ollies; loads of Amelias, but just one Jack. He's often the only Jack in the group.

mum2be2boys · 05/04/2017 12:41

I know 3 who are aged 1-3 years, then another 4 who are aged 11-15 years.

It's a really lovely name though!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 05/04/2017 10:17

❤️ Jack.
There'll always be one or two around, 'cos it's a great name.

ColourfulOrangex · 05/04/2017 08:47

4 in their 20s
1 who is 6
1 who is 3
And 3 babies although 1 of those is a Jaxon who sometimes is shortened to Jack

BikeRunSki · 05/04/2017 08:38

2 in DS's Y3 class
2 in DD's YR class

MrsPringles · 05/04/2017 08:38

I wanted Jack but DH wasn't so keen so DS has it as his middle name instead

Good name OP Grin

TinfoilHattie · 05/04/2017 08:37

We are in Scotland where I don't think Jack was ever as popular as it was in other parts of the UK. My son who is 14 has a best friend called Jack, and there's one in my 11 year old's class too. Don't think I know any others.

DrAbbyYates · 05/04/2017 08:33

It is so, so popular. Your son would be one the youngest in a whole generation of Jacks - it was number one for nearly 20 years. Even if he doesn't have several Jacks in his class (there are four in DD's nursery class at school) there will be many once he enters the workplace and starts working with people older than him.

If you must, consider John or Jonathan as a given name on the BC and have him known as Jack to give him options later.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 05/04/2017 08:04

Jack is a lovely name. But it's not just about how many would be in his class at school, it's also how many in his workplace and social group when he's older.

Jack has been top of the charts for over 20 years, there could be loads of them at all ages up to aged 50.

Jooni · 05/04/2017 07:47

I come across so many little Jacks. It's a lovely name but if you want to avoid "Jack L" then I'd go with something else. How about Zack, Mack, Zeke, Rex, Jude...?