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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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Sophronia · 05/04/2017 00:50

I think it's less popular than it used to be. It's a great name.

Sophronia · 05/04/2017 00:51

Oh and the only one I know is 27!

SuperBeagle · 05/04/2017 00:52

I know two young Jacks. One is 5 or 6, and one is almost 2.

clary · 05/04/2017 00:53

I am a secondary school teacher and Jack is way the most popular name among the boys.

I usually have a Jack in every class. Last year I had two year 7 classes with 3 in each.

These are obv 11yos but it has been up there for many years.

I don't know any small children now as my own DC are teenagers, but certainly I know loads and loads of Jacks in the age range 11-20, and AFAIK it has been number 1/2 for the last 10 years too so I imagine there are lots of 2-3-4 yo Jacks too. It's a great name for sure but if you want to avoid a popular name I would pick another.

ZilphasHatpin · 05/04/2017 00:56

I Know a 5yo jack and two 18yo jacks.

And now I have seen the name jack so many times on this thread the word looks strange Grin

ThaliaLuxurySpa · 05/04/2017 02:28

Jacques is a nice alternative.

(with the soft "J" French pronunciation: Zh-ak, though...not "Jakes" as in Hattie Jacques!!).

Know 2 (3 yr old, and a newborn), neither family with any French connections...just that their parents love the name.

Jack is pretty popular around these parts, with the under 5s.
I like it.

mumgointhroughtorture · 05/04/2017 02:35

I have a 12 yr old Jack and he was at one stage 1 of only about 3 in his school. I think it depends on the area . I have never regretted his name and still love it to this day

Susiesue61 · 05/04/2017 03:43

I have a 17 year old Jack and there are less round here than some other names. I love it! My dad is Jack too, and now that DS has grown taller, dad is now wee Jack Grin Ds2 has a much more common name - he's Sam and is one of three in his football team alone!

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 05/04/2017 04:27

I have a 20 year old Jack. He was the only one in his year at secondary school.

There is only one Jack in DS2's Year (currently Year 11), and one Jack in DD's primary school class (Year 1).

My Jack is named after my grandfather & I honestly didn't realise its' popularity until he was a few months old.

I would say that if a name is your favourite, still use it. You won't know what your DCs future class mates might be called, and even less popular/common names can end up with doubles in a class. For example, there are three Jessica's in DD's class. It wasn't a top 10 name nationally the year she was born. Boy wise, there are three Sam's. But only one Jack.

Littlelegs19 · 05/04/2017 04:36

Me and DS, 4.5months, attend a weekly class and out of 15 babies, only 3 are boys and the other 2 are both jack.

GreenSpaghetti · 05/04/2017 05:24

I know two 5yo Jacks, 1 2/3yo and a 1yo. So still being used fairly regularly round my way

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...?

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.

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.

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.

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

BikeRunSki · 05/04/2017 08:38

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

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

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 05/04/2017 10:17

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

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.