John (given name)

In the Roman sphere of influence, Johannes became the Italian Giovanni (also Gianni, Gian and other derivatives). In the Black Sea region, the name became the Romanian Ioan and Ion. In Iberia the name eventually changed to the Spanish Juan, feminine Juana; in the medieval Portuguese it was Juo / Joane / Joan, now João (pronounced [ʒuˈɐ̃w]), feminine Joana, and also Ivo; in Galician, the orthography is Xan or Xoán, feminine Xoana. In Gaul, it became the Old French Jehan (the 16th century John Calvin still spelled his name Jehan Cauvin) and later Jean (pronounced [ʒɑ̃]); the female form was Jehanne (the 15th century Joan of Arc still spelled her name Jehanne) and later Jeanne. In the Occitano-Romance area, it became Joan (feminine, Joana) and Jan in Occitan and Catalan, from older Iouan and Iohan. In Ladin, it became Giuani.

In Moldavia and Wallachia, the name became a title abbreviated as Io used mainly by the royalty.

The Germanic languages (including German, English and Scandinavian) produced the masculine Johann (also Johan (Dutch)), Joan,[5] Jan and Janke (Dutch), Jannis, Jens (Danish and Frisian), Jóhannes, Jóhann, (Icelandic and Faroese), Jön (Swedish), Hans (German, Dutch and Scandinavian)[6][7] and the feminine Johanna (also the Dutch diminutives Johanneke, Hanneke, Janneke, and Joke). In England, the name John came from the Anglo-French language form Johan, itself from the Old French form Jehan. Prior to the standardization in English of the letter 'J', the letter 'I' was used interchangeably; following this shift, forms beginning in J- such as John began to be pronounced in their modern fashion with ⟨dʒ⟩ rather than ⟨j⟩ (y). Seventeenth-century English texts still spelled the name Iohn. Since then, it has been spelled in its current form, John. The feminine form changed from Jehanne to Joanne, Joan and Jo.

In Welsh, the name John is rendered as Ieuan (pronounced [ˈjəɨan]), Ifan (pronounced [ˈɪvan]), Iwan (pronounced [ˈɪwan]), Ioan (pronounced [ˈjoːan]) or, borrowed from English, Siôn (pronounced [ʃoːn]). A pet form is Ianto (pronounced [ˈjantɔ]). Ifan eventually became rendered into English as Evan. In Irish, it is written as (pronounced [ˈoːənˠ]), Eóin, (pronounced [ˈoːənʲ]) or Seán (pronounced [ʃaːn̪ˠ]). The last is a Gaelicisation of the Norman–French 'Jean'. In some cases, the pronunciation of the original initial "Y"/"I" also changed to variants of "J". In Scotland, it is Iain or Ian. In Cornish (archaically; Jowan/Iowan) and Devon dialects, the form Jan gives rise to the nickname of Plymothians as 'Janners' and the midsummer festival of St. John, Golowan. The Breton form of this name is Yann, the Manx is Juan, and the Cornish is Yowann.

In Hungarian, Johannes became János, and in the Slavic languages Ivan, Jan, Ján, Honza, Janez and Jovan. In Albanian, Gjoni , Gjin, and Jovan is used for males.

Henna (Arabic: حنّا) is a common Arabic translation of John as are Yūḥannā (Arabic: يُوحَنّا) and Yaḥyā (Arabic: يحيى). All are common Arabic male given names. And because Yahyā/John the Baptist is a prophet in Islam, Yahya is a very common name among Muslims.

• John, King of England (1166–1216)
• Prince John of the United Kingdom (1905–1919), youngest son of King George V
• John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall (1316–1336), second son of Edward II
• John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340–1399), third son of Edward III
• John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford (1389–1435), second son of Henry IV
• Prince Alexander John of Wales (1871), third son and youngest child of Edward VII
• John I of Sweden, (1201–1222), King of Sweden
• John II of Sweden, (1455–1513), King of Denmark and king of Sweden during the Kalmar Union
• John III of Sweden, (1537–1592), King of Sweden
• Charles XIV John, (1763–1844), King of Sweden and king of Norway, first king in the Bernadotte dynasty

• John Adams (1735–1826), American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the 2nd President of the United States from 1797 to 1801
• John Adams (Virginia politician) (1773–1825), Mayor of Richmond, Virginia
• John Adams (New York politician) (1778–1854), Congressman from New York
• John Adams (Ohio politician) (born 1960), Ohio House of Representatives
• John Adams (journalist) (1819–1???), American lawyer, politician and journalist in Maine
• John Adams Sr. (1691–1761), father of John Adams and grandfather of John Quincy Adams
• John Adams Sr. (Nebraska politician) (1876–1962), American minister, lawyer, and politician
• John Adams Jr. (Nebraska politician) (1906–1999), American lawyer and politician
• John Adams II (1803–1834), American government functionary and businessman, son of John Quincy Adams and grandson of John Adams
• John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the 6th President of the United States from 1825 to 1829, son of John Adams
• John Quincy Adams II (1833–1894), American lawyer, politician, and member of the Adams political family, grandson of John Quincy Adams II, great-grandson of John Adams
• John Attygalle (1906–1981, Inspector-General of Sri Lanka Police from 1966 to 1967
• John Bacon (Massachusetts politician) (1738–1820), US Representative from Massachusetts
• John F. Bacon (1789–1860), Clerk of the New York State Senate, and U.S. Consul at Nassau, Bahamas
• John L. Bacon (1878–1961), mayor of San Diego, California
• John Bailey (MP) (died 1436), MP for Cricklade and Calne
• John Bailey (Australian politician) (born 1954), Australian politician
• John Bailey (Massachusetts politician) (1786–1835), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts
• John Edgar Bailey (1897–1958), Northern Irish politician
• John H. Bailey (1864–1940), American politician, senator and representative in Texas
• John Moran Bailey (1904–1975), United States politician, chair of the Democratic National Committee
• John Mosher Bailey (1838–1916), U.S. Representative from New York
• John Bailey (Irish politician) (1945–2019), member of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council
• John Bailey (Victorian politician) (1826–1871), Australian politician
• John D. Bailey (1928–2018), American mayor of St. Augustine, Florida
• John Baker (fl. 1407), English MP for Lyme Regis, 1407
• John Baker (fl. 1421), English MP for Devizes, 1421
• John Baker (died 1544) (by 1503–44), English MP for Radnorshire
• Sir John Baker (died 1558) (1488–1558), English speaker of the House of Commons
• John Baker (MP for Bedford) (by 1501–1538 or later), English mayor and MP of Bedford
• John Baker (by 1531–1604/6), English MP for Horsham and Bramber
• John Baker (MP for Canterbury) (c. 1754 – 1831), British MP for Canterbury
• John Baker (representative) (1769–1823), United States congressman from Virginia
• John Baker (Baker Brook) (1796–1868), Canadian political activist in Baker Brook, New Brunswick
• John Baker (Australian politician) (1813–1872), briefly the Premier of South Australia
• Sir John Baker (Portsmouth MP) (1828–1909), British MP for Portsmouth
• John Tamatoa Baker (1852–1921), Hawaiian rancher, sheriff and governor
• John Baker (Labour politician) (1867–1939), British Labour MP for Bilston
• John Baker (Wisconsin politician) (1869–1???), American politician from Wisconsin
• John Baker (defensive lineman, born 1935) (1935–2007), American football player and then sheriff of Wake County, North Carolina
• John Baker (Indiana politician) (1832–1915), United States congressman from Indiana
• John S. Baker (1861–1955), American politician from Washington
• Sir John Baker, 2nd Baronet (1608–1653), English politician
• John A. Baker Jr. (1927–1994), U.S. diplomat
• John Arnold Baker (1925–2016), British judge and politician
• John Baker II (1780–1843), sheriff of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1834–1843
• Jeb Bush (John Ellis Bush, born 1953), American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007
• John Calvin Coolidge Sr. (1845–1926), American politician and businessman from Vermont, father of Calvin Coolidge
• Calvin Coolidge (John Calvin Coolidge Jr., 1872–1933), American politician and lawyer, 30th President of the United States from 1923 to 1929
• John Davies (British businessman) (1916–1979), British businessman, director-general of the CBI, and Conservative MP and cabinet minister
• John Edgar (politician) (1750–1832), Irish-American pioneer and politician
• John Edwards
• John De Saram (born 1929), Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations]] from 1998 to 2002
• John F. Fitzgerald
• John Church Hamilton
• John Willie Kofi Harlley (1919–1980s), Ghanaian senior police officer and politician
• John Joseph Harper (1951–1988), Canadian aboriginal leader
• John Harrison (diplomat), 17th-century English diplomat
• John Harrison (died 1669) (1590–1669), English politician who sat in the House of Commons as MP for Lancaster variously between 1640 and 1669
• John Harrison (Canadian politician) (1908–1964), member of Parliament for Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan
• John Harrison (mayor), mayor of North Tyneside, England
• John Scott Harrison (1804–1878), American Congressman for Ohio, 1853–1857; son of President William Henry Harrison and the father of President Benjamin Harrison
• John Jay, American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, and the first Chief Justice of the United States
• John F. Kennedy (1917–1963), American politician, served as the 35th President of the United States from 1961 to 1963
• John Johnson (Ohio congressman) (1805–1867), politician
• John A. Johnson (Minnesota politician) (1883–1962), Minnesota politician
• John A. Johnson (Wisconsin), Wisconsin state assemblyman from Madison
• John Albert Johnson (1861–1909), 16th governor of Minnesota
• John Anders Johnson (1832–1901), Wisconsin state senator
• John E. Johnson (Brandon) (1873–1951), Wisconsin state assemblyman from Brandon, Wisconsin
• John E. Johnson (Utica) (fl. circa 1868), Wisconsin state assemblyman from Utica, Wisconsin
• John J. Johnson (1926–2016), Missouri state senator
• John Warren Johnson (born 1929), Minnesota state legislator
• John Telemachus Johnson (1788–1856), U.S. Representative from Kentucky
• John Johnson (Kansas City mayor) (1816–1903), mayor of Kansas City, Missouri
• J. Neely Johnson (1825–1872), California politician and politician
• John Johnson (b. 1833) (1833–1892), Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• John Johnson (Ohio state representative) (born 1937), member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• John Johnson Sr. (1770–1824), Chancellor of Maryland
• John Johnson Jr. (1798–1856), Chancellor of Maryland
• John Johnson (Indiana judge) (1776–1817), associate justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
• John T. Johnson (Oklahoma judge) (1856–1???), associate justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
• John B. Johnson (politician) (1885–1985), American politician in the South Dakota State Senate
• John Ramsey Johnson, associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
• J. B. Johnson (Florida politician) (1868–1940), 23rd Florida Attorney General
• John S. Johnson (North Dakota politician) (1854–1941), member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
• John H. Trumbull (1873–1961), American politician who served as the 70th Governor of Connecticut from 1925 to 1931
• John Kerry (born 1943), American politician and diplomat who served as the 68th United States Secretary of State from 2013 to 2017
• John Lionel Kotelawala (1895–1980), Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1953 to 1956
• John B. Macy (1799–1856), U.S. Representative from Wisconsin
• John Mahama (born 1958), Ghanaian politician and former president of Ghana
• John McCain (1936–2018), American statesman and US Navy officer, United States Senator for Arizona from 1987 to 2018
• John Verdun Newton (1916–1944), Australian politician
• John Nkadimeng (1927–2020), South African politician and anti-apartheid activist
• John Reagan (New Hampshire politician) (born 1946), New Hampshire politician
• John Henninger Reagan (1818–1905), American politician
• John Roberts (born 1955), American lawyer and jurist who serves as Chief Justice of the United States
• John Tyler (1790–1862), 10th President of the United States
• John Tyler Sr., 15th Governor of Virginia, United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Virginia, father of John Tyler
• John Van Buren, United States lawyer, official, politician, son of Martin Van Buren
• John Walker (Arkansas politician) (1937–2019), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
• John Walker (Missouri politician) (1770–1838), State Treasurer of Missouri
• John Walker (Virginia politician) (1744–1809), U.S. Senator, public official, and soldier
• John A. Walker (Iowa politician) (1912–2012), American politician
• John M. Walker Jr. (born 1940), chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• John M. Walker (Pennsylvania politician) (1905–1976), Pennsylvania State Senator and lieutenant-gubernatorial nominee
• John Randall Walker (1874–1942), U.S. Representative from Georgia
• John Smith Walker (1826–1893), Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Hawaii
• John Williams Walker (1783–1823), U.S. Senator from Alabama
• John Young (died 1589) (by 1519–1589), of Bristol, MP for Devizes, West Looe, etc.
• John Young (MP for Marlborough), in 1559, MP for Marlborough
• John Young (MP for New Shoreham) (fl. 1586–1597), MP for New Shoreham, Sussex
• John Allan Young (1895–1961), politician in Saskatchewan, Canada
• John Andrew Young (1916–2002), American politician from Texas
• John Duncan Young (1823–1910), US congressman from Kentucky
• John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar (1807–1876), UK MP, NSW Governor, Canadian Governor General
• John Young (Canadian politician) (1811–1878), member of the Canadian House of Commons
• John Young (governor) (1802–1852), Governor of New York
• John Young (advisor) (c. 1742 – 1835), British-born government advisor of Kamehameha I
• John Young (Australian politician) (1842–1893), New South Wales politician
• John Young (judge), Federal Court of Australia judge
• John Young (jurist) (1919–2008), Australian jurist
• John Young (Scottish politician) (1930–2011), Conservative and Unionist Member of the Scottish Parliament
• John Young (seigneur) (c. 1759 – 1819), Scottish-born Canadian land entrepreneur, jurist, and politician
• John Darling Young (1910–1988), Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, 1969–1984
• John M. Young (1926–2010), American politician from Wisconsin
• John Young (New Brunswick politician, born 1841) (1841–1907), Canadian politician
• John Young (New Brunswick politician, born 1854) (1854–1934), Canadian politician

• John Aspinall (zoo owner) (1926–2000), British casino and zoo owner
• John Aspinwall Roosevelt (1916–1981), American businessman, sixth and youngest son of Franklin D. Roosevelt
• John Vernou Bouvier Jr.
• John Vernou Bouvier III
• John Coolidge
• John Davis (British businessman) (1906–1993), English managing director of the Rank Organisation, later Chairman
• John D. Rockefeller (1839–1937), American business tycoon
• John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874–1960), American financier, philanthropist, son of John D. Rockefeller
• John D. Rockefeller III (1906–1978), American philanthropist, son of John D. Rockefeller Jr.
• John Ellis Roosevelt, Roosevelt family member
• John McAfee, (1945–2021), British-American computer programmer, businessman and prisoner

• John Joseph Abercrombie (1798–1877), American brigadier general
• John Worthington Adams (1764–1837), British general in India
• John Giles Adams (1792–1832), U.S. commander at the Battle of Stillman's Run during the 1832 Black Hawk War
• John Adams (Confederate Army officer) (1825–1864), US Army officer
• John G. B. Adams (1841–1900), Civil War Medal of Honor recipient
• John Mapes Adams (1871–1921), Boxer Rebellion Medal of Honor recipient
• John Adams (Royal Navy officer) (1918–2008), British rear admiral
• John G. Adams (1932–2003), Army counsel in the Army-McCarthy hearings
• John Adams (Canadian general) (born 1942), Canadian military leader
• John Cushing Aylwin (1780–1813), Officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812
• John Babcock (1900–2010), last known surviving veteran of the Canadian military to have served in the First World War
• John M. Bacon (1844–1913), American general
• John Bacon (Loyalist) (died 1783), Loyalist guerilla fighter during the American Revolutionary War
• John Baker (American Revolutionary War) (1731–1787), American Revolutionary War hero, for whom Baker County, Georgia was named
• John Baker (RAF officer) (1897–1978), British air marshal
• John Drayton Baker (1915–1942), United States Navy officer
• John Baker (general) (1936–2007), Australian Chief of the Defence Force
• John F. Baker Jr. (1945–2012), American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient
• John Baker (Royal Navy officer) (1660–1716), English naval officer, MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
• John Baker (Medal of Honor, 1876) (1853–1???), American soldier
• John Bush (Royal Navy officer) (1914–2013), British Royal Navy officer
• John Cooke (Royal Navy officer) (1762–1805), English Royal Navy officer
• John Cubbon (1911–1997), British Army officer
• John Eisenhower, United States Army officer, diplomat, and military historian, second and youngest son of Dwight D. Eisenhower
• John C. England (1920–1941), United States Navy officer
• John Harrison (VC 1857) (1832–1865), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
• John Martin Howard (1917–1942), United States Navy officer
• John Johnson, 8th Seigneur of Sark (died 1723), Seigneur of Sark, 1720–1723
• Sir John Johnson, 2nd Baronet (1741–1830), loyalist leader during the American Revolution
• John "Liver-Eating" Johnson (1824–1900), American frontier figure
• John Johnson (Medal of Honor, 1839) (1839–1???), United States Navy sailor
• John Johnson (Medal of Honor, 1842) (1842–1907), Norwegian-American Medal of Honor recipient
• John D. Johnson (general), U.S. Army general
• John Paul Jones (1747–1792), Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War
• John Kennedy (Medal of Honor) (1834–1910), American soldier
• John Doby Kennedy (1840–1896), general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War
• John J. Kennedy (Republic of Texas politician) (1814–1880), soldier, lawyer and sheriff
• Sir John Kennedy (British Army officer, born 1878) (1878–1948), British general
• Sir John Kennedy (British Army officer, born 1893) (1893–1970), British general
• John Pitt Kennedy (1796–1879), British military engineer
• John Thomas Kennedy (1885–1969), American soldier
• John Minor Maury (1795–1824), Lieutenant in the United States Navy
• John S. McCain Jr. (1911–1981), United States Navy admiral who served in conflicts from the 1940s through the 1970s, including as the Commander, United States Pacific Command, father of John McCain
• John S. McCain Sr. (1884–1945), U.S. Navy admiral and the patriarch of the McCain military family, grandfather of John McCain
• John Hamilton Roberts (1881–1962), Canadian Army two-star general
• John Q. Roberts (1914–1942), United States Navy officer, pilot, and Navy Cross recipient
• John W. Roberts (1921–1999), United States Air Force four-star general
• John Roberts (Royal Navy officer) (born 1924), British admiral
• John Alexander Tyler, Son of John Tyler
• John P. Van Leer (1825–1862), Union Army officer
• John Walker (RAF officer) (born 1936), Chief of Defence Intelligence
• John Walker (Medal of Honor) (1845–1???), American Indian Wars soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
• John Walker (officer of arms) (1913–1984), English officer of arms
• John Anthony Walker (1937–2014), American communications specialist convicted in 1985 of spying for the Soviet Union
• John C. Walker, Indiana physician and officer during the American Civil War
• John George Walker (1821–1893), general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War
• John Grimes Walker (1835–1907), United States Navy admiral
• John T. Walker (USMC) (1893–1955), United States Marine Corp general
• John Young (naval officer) (1740–1781), United States captain in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War

• John Adams (born 1947), American composer
• John Luther Adams (born 1953), American composer
• John Addison (1920–1998), English composer
• John Bailey (luthier) (1931–2011), maker of fine guitars in England
• John Bailey (producer), Canadian recording engineer, producer
• John Barry (1933–2011), English film composer
• John Blow (1649–1708), English composer
• John Bonham (1948–1980), drummer/percussionist for Led Zeppelin
• John Bull (1562–1628), English composer
• John Bush (musician) (born 1963), American metal vocalist for Armored Saint and Anthrax
• John Cage (1912–1992), American composer
• John Casken (born 1949), English composer
• John Coltrane (1926-1967), American jazz saxophonist and composer
• John Cooper (musician) (born 1975), American bassist and vocalist for Skillet
• John Corigliano (born 1938), American composer
• John Dankworth (1927–2010), English jazz musician
• John David Davis (1867–1942), English composer
• John Denver (1943–1997), American folk and country singer
• John Deacon (born 1951), British bass player for Queen
• John Dowland (1563–1626), English composer
• John W. Duarte (1919–2004), English composer and guitarist
• John Dunstaple (1390–1453), English composer
• John Farmer (c.1570–c.1601), English madrigal composer
• John Field (1782–1837), Irish composer
• John Conant Flansburgh (born 1960), American singer-guitarist, founder of Mono Puff, and one half of They Might Be Giants
• John Frusciante (born 1970), guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers
• John Fogerty (born 1945), lead singer and guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival
• John Foulds (1880–1939), English composer
• John Gardner (1917–2011), English composer
• John Maxwell Geddes (1941–2017), Scottish composer and academic
• John D. H. Greenwood (1889–1975), English composer
• John Harbison (born 1938), American composer
• John Ireland (1879–1962), English composer
• John Jenkins (1592–1678), English composer
• John Joubert (1927–2019), English composer
• John Kander (born 1927), American musical theatre composer
• John Kinsella (1932–2021), Irish composer
• John Lanchbery (1923–2003), English-Australian composer
• John Lennon (1940–1980), English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Beatles
• John Charles Julian Lennon (born 1963), English singer, son of John Lennon
• John Sidney Linnell (born 1959), American singer-songwriter and one half of They Might Be Giants
• John Henry Maunder (1858–1920), English composer and organist
• John McCabe (1939–2015), British composer and classical pianist
• John Blackwood McEwen (1868–1948), Scottish composer
• John Newman (singer) (born 1990), English singer, musician, songwriter and record producer
• John Oates (born 1948), American musician, half of Hall & Oates
• John Knowles Paine (1839–1906), American composer
• John Pickard (born 1963), British composer
• John Rutter (born 1945), English composer, conductor and choral arranger
• John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), American composer
• John Stainer (1840–1901), British composer
• John Stanley (1712–1786), English composer
• John Sykes (1909–1962), English composer
• John Sykes (born 1959), guitarist for Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake
• John Tavener (1944–2013), 20th century English composer
• John Taverner (1490–1545), 16th century English composer
• John Veale (1922–2006), English composer
• John White (born 1936), English experimental composer
• John Wilbye (1574–1638), English composer
• John Williams (born 1932), American composer, conductor, and pianist
• John Woolrich (born 1954), English composer
• John Zorn (born 1953), American composer, saxophonist and bandleader

• John Adams (physicist) (1920–1984), British accelerator physicist
• John Couch Adams (1819–1892), British mathematician and astronomer
• John Franklin Adams (1843–1912), British amateur astronomer and author of stellar maps
• John Stacey Adams, behavioral psychologist known for equity theory
• John Till Adams (1748–1786), English Quaker physician
• John Baker (biologist) (1900–1984), British biologist and anthropologist
• John Baker, Baron Baker (1901–1985), British engineer
• John Gilbert Baker (1834–1920), British botanist
• John Norman Leonard Baker (1893–1971), British geographer
• John Holland Baker (1841–1930), New Zealand surveyor and public servant
• John Roosevelt Boettiger, grandson of Franklin D. Roosevelt
• John G. Trump, uncle of Donald Trump
• John Wood (surgeon) (1825–1891), British surgeon at King's College Hospital
• John Henry Wood (1841–1914), English entomologist
• John L. Wood (born 1964), American chemist
• John S. Fossey, British chemist and professor at the University of Birmingham
• John Medley Wood (1827–1915), South African botanist
• John Nicholas Wood, British neurobiologist
• John Turtle Wood (1821–1890), British architect, engineer, and archaeologist

• John Baker (author) (born 1942), British novelist
• John Baker (legal historian) (born 1944), English legal historian and academic
• John Roman Baker (born 1944), British playwright and activist
• John Banville (born 1945), Irish writer
• John Barth (born 1930), American writer
• John Betjeman (1906–1984), English poet, writer and broadcaster
• John Braine (1922–1986), English writer
• John Bunyan (1628–1688), English writer and preacher
• John Bryant (journalist) (1944–2020), British journalist
• John Buchan (1875–1940), British author and politician
• John Cheever (1912–1982), American novelist and short story writer
• John Clare (1793–1964), English poet
• John Maxwell Coetzee (born 1940), South African-Australian novelist and essayist
• John Donne (1572–1631), English poet and cleric
• John Dryden (1631–1700), English poet and playwright
• John Fowles (1926–2005), English novelist
• John Galsworthy (1867–1933), English novelist and playwright
• John Gardner (1933–1982), American novelist and educator
• John Gardner (1926–2007), English spy and thriller novelist
• John Gray (1866–1934), English poet
• John Grisham (born 1955), American writer
• M. John Harrison (born 1945), author
• John Hersey (1914–1993), American journalist and novelist
• John Irving (born 1942), American novelist and screenwriter
• John Keats (1795–1821), English romantic poet
• John le Carré (1931–2020), British-Irish author
• John McPhee (born 1931), American writer
• John Masefield (1878–1967), English poet and writer
• John Milton (1608–1674), English poet and intellectual
• John Muir (1838–1914), Scottish-born American naturalist and author
• John Mulaney (born 1982), American comedian known for his work on Saturday Night Live
• John Dos Passos (1896–1970), American novelist
• John Pudney (1909–1977), British poet, journalist and author
• John Romita Sr., father of John Romita Jr.
• John Romita Jr., son of John Romita Sr.
• John Steinbeck (1902–1968), American writer
• John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973), English writer and philologist
• John Updike (1932–2009), American novelist
• John Whittington, American screenwriter
• John Wyndham (1903–1969), English writer

• John Barrowman (born 1967), British-American actor
• John Belushi (1949–1982), American actor and comedian
• John Boyega (born 1992), English actor
• John Candy (1950–1994), Canadian actor
• John Challis (1942–2021), English actor
• John Estrada (born 1973), Filipino film and TV actor
• John DiMaggio (born 1968), American actor and voice actor
• John Gielgud (1904–2000), English actor
• John Goodman (born 1952), American actor
• John Gordon Sinclair (born 1962), British voice actor
• John Hannah (born 1962), Scottish actor
• John Hasler (born 1974), English actor and voice actor
• John Hurt (1940–2017), English actor
• John M. Jackson (born 1950), American actor
• John Kassir (born 1957), American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian
• John Krasinski (born 1979), American actor, director and producer
• John Lone (born 1952), Hong Kong-born American actor
• John Lithgow (born 1945), American actor, author, musician, poet and singer
• John Malkovich (born 1953), American actor, voice actor, producer, director and fashion designer
• John C. McGinley (born 1959), American actor
• John Alexander Luft "Xander" Mobus, American voice actor
• John O'Hurley (born 1954), American actor, comedian, author, game show host and television personality
• John Ratzenberger (born 1947), American actor, voice actor, director and entrepreneur
• John C. Reilly (born 1965), American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer and musician
• John Ritter (1948–2003), American actor
• John Stahl (1953–2022), Scottish actor
• John Schwab (born 1972), American actor, voice actor, musician and producer
• John Stephenson (1923/1924–2015), American actor
• John Travolta (born 1954), American actor and singer
• John Wayne (1907–1979), American actor and filmmaker

• John (footballer) (born 1996), Brazilian footballer
• John H. Adams (jockey) (1914–1995), American Hall of Fame jockey
• John Adams (basketball) (1917–1979), All-American basketball player from Arkansas
• John Adams (drummer) (born 1951), perennial attendee of Cleveland Indians baseball home games
• John Adams (golfer) (born 1954), American professional golfer
• John Adams (judoka) (born 1960), Dominican Republic judoka
• John Adams (ice hockey, born 1920) (1920–1996), Canadian ice hockey winger in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens
• John Adams (ice hockey, born 1946), Canadian ice hockey goaltender
• John Andrews (American football) (born 1948), American football player
• John Babcock (wrestler) (fl. 1904), American Olympic wrestler
• John Bacon (footballer) (born 1973), Irish footballer
• John Bacon (cricketer) (1871–1942), English cricketer
• John Bailey (footballer, born 1950), English footballer and chairman
• John Bailey (footballer, born 1957), English footballer
• John Bailey (footballer, born 1969), English footballer
• John Bailey (rugby league) (born 1954), Australian rugby league footballer and coach
• John Bailey (English cricketer) (born 1940), English cricketer
• John Bailey (New Zealand cricketer) (born 1941), New Zealand cricketer
• John Bates (American football) (born 1997), American football player
• John Brannon (American football) (born 1998), American football player
• John Cena (born 1977), American professional wrestler, actor, television presenter and rapper
• John Edgar (English footballer) (1930–2006), English footballer
• John Edgar (Scottish footballer), Scottish footballer
• John Hawley Edwards (1850–1893), footballer; a founder of Welsh Football Association
• John Dunlop Edwards (1860–1911), Jack Edwards, Australian cricketer
• John Edwards (footballer, born 1875) (1875–1???), English footballer
• John Edwards (Canadian football) (1912–2005), Canadian football player
• John Edwards (cricketer, born 1928) (1928–2002), Australian cricketer
• John Edwards (Barbadian cricketer) (1909–1976), Barbadian cricketer
• John Edwards (Australian footballer) (born 1942), Australian rules footballer
• John Edwards (canoeist) (born 1954), Canadian sprint canoer
• John Edwards (basketball) (born 1981), American basketball player
• John Edwards (racing driver) (born 1991), American racing driver
• John "Johnny" Gargano (born 1987), American professional wrestler
• John Henderson (darts player) (born 1973), Scottish darts player
• John McMullin (baseball) (1849–1881), American baseball player
• John McMullin (golfer), American golfer
• John McSeveney (1931–2020), Scottish footballer and manager
• John Morrison (born 1979), American professional wrestler
• John Moll (1913–1942), English rugby union player
• John Morkel (1928–2010), South African born Rhodesian international rugby union player
• John Hunter Nemechek (born 1997), American racing driver
• John Nogowski (born 1993), American baseball player
• Johnny Reagan (1926–2018), baseball coach
• John Roberts (Australian rules footballer) (born 1956), Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne/Sydney Swans and in South Australia
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1881) (1881–1956), Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne
• John Roberts Jr. (billiards player) (1847–1919), player of English billiards
• John Roberts (Shropshire cricketer) (born 1948), Shropshire cricketer
• John Roberts (Lancashire cricketer) (1933–2019), English cricketer
• John Roberts (Somerset cricketer) (born 1949), Somerset cricketer
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1857) (1857–1???), Welsh (from Llangollen) international footballer
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1858) (1858–1???), Welsh international footballer
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1885) (1885–19??), English footballer who played for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bristol Rovers
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1887) (1887–19??), English-born footballer active in Italy for Milan and Modena
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1891) (1891–19??), Scottish footballer
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1944), Australian soccer player
• John Roberts (footballer, born 1946) (1946–2016), Welsh international footballer who played for Wrexham and Arsenal
• John Roberts (hurler) (1895–1987), Irish hurler
• John Roberts (rower) (born 1953), British Olympic rower
• John Roberts (rugby player) (1906–1965), Welsh rugby player
• John Roberts (American football) (1920–2012), American football, wrestling and track coach
• John Stones (born 1994), English footballer
• John Wood (baseball) (1872–1929), baseball player
• John Wood (canoeist) (1950–2013), Canadian Olympic flatwater canoer
• John Wood (racing driver) (born 1952), CART driver
• John Wood (rugby league) (born 1956), English rugby league footballer who played for Great Britain
• Jon Wood (born 1981), NASCAR driver
• John Young (first baseman) (1949–2016), American baseball first baseman
• John Young (cricketer, born 1863) (1863–1933), English cricketer
• John Young (cricketer, born 1876) (1876–1913), English cricketer
• John Young (cricketer, born 1884) (1884–1960), English cricketer
• John Young (cyclist) (1936–2013), Australian cyclist
• John Young (field hockey) (born 1934), Canadian Olympic hockey player
• John Young (footballer, born 1888) (1888–1915), Scottish footballer
• John Young (footballer, born 1889) (1889–1???), Scottish footballer
• John Young (footballer, born 1891) (1891–1947), Scottish footballer
• John Young (footballer, born 1951), Scottish footballer and manager
• John Young (footballer, born 1957), Scottish footballer (Denver Avalanche)
• John Young (ice hockey), American ice hockey and roller hockey player
• John Young (rugby union) (1937–2020), English rugby union player
• John Young (swimmer) (1917–2006), Bermudian swimmer

• John Arthur Ackroyd (died 2016), American murderer
• John Bodkin Adams (1899–1983), British criminal
• John Allen (1934–2015), British criminal
• John Ashley (1888 or 1895–1924), American outlaw
• John Battaglia (1955–2018), American murderer
• John Baughman (1941–2000), American murderer
• John William Bean (1824–1882), British criminal who attempted to assassinate Queen Victoria
• John Billee (1873–1890), American outlaw and Creek Indian
• John Bittrolff (born 1966), American murderer
• John Wilkes Booth (1838–1865), American stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865
• John Paul Chase (1901–1973), American robber
• John Childs, British hit man and serial killer
• John William Clouser (born 1932), American robber
• John Cooper (born 1944), Welsh serial killer
• John Coxon, pirate and fugitive
• John Martin Crawford (1962–2020), Canadian serial killer
• John Brennan Crutchley (1946–2002), American convicted kidnapper, rapist, and suspected serial killer
• John Darwin (born 1950), British criminal
• John Dillinger (1903–1934), American gangster of the Great Depression
• John Factor (1892–1984), American prohibition-era gangster and con artist
• John Wayne Gacy (1942–1994), American serial killer and sex offender
• John Geoghan (1935–2003), American serial child rapist
• John K. Giles (1895–1979), American inmate at Alcatraz prison
• John Gotti (1940–2002), American gangster
• John Haigh (1909–1949), English serial killer
• John Hamilton (gangster) (1899–1934), Canadian fugitive
• John Wesley Hardin (1853–1895), American Old West outlaw
• John Hinckley Jr. (born 1955), American criminal
• John Hirst (born 1950), British convicted murderer
• John Joubert (1963–1996), American serial killer
• John Kinney (outlaw) (1847–1919), American outlaw of the Old West, who formed the John Kinney Gang
• John M. Larn (1849–1878), American lawman and later outlaw
• John List (1925–2008), American mass murderer and fugitive
• John Ingvar Lövgren (1930–2002), Swedish serial killer
• John Mason (outlaw) (18??–April 1866), American fugitive and one of the leaders of the Mason Henry Gang
• John McAfee (1945–2021), British-American computer programmer and businessman who committed suicide in prison
• John Middleton (1854–1885), American outlaw and friend of Billy the Kid
• John Paul Sr. (racing driver) (born 1939), American racing driver, convicted felon and fugitive whose whereabouts are unknown
• John Parsons (born 1971), American fugitive
• John M. Pyle (born 1956), American fugitive
• John Roselli (1905–1976), American influential mobster for the Chicago Outfit
• John Ruffo (born 1954), American fugitive whose whereabouts are unknown
• John Selman (1839–1896), American fugitive
• John Sontag (1861–1893), American outlaw
• John Svahlstedt (born 1947), Swedish serial rapist
• John Anthony Walker (1937–2014), American Navy chief warrant officer and Soviet spy
• John Wojtowicz (1945–2006), American bank robber
• John Younger (1851–1874), American outlaw

• John Custis (1678–1749)
• John Parke Custis (1754–1781), son of Martha Washington
• John Wayles (1715–1773)

• John Price Durbin (1800–1876), Chaplain of the Sentae, president of Dickinson College
• John L. Gihon (1839–1878), Philadelphia photographer
• John Gray (died 1858), owner of Greyfriars Bobby
• John Hartwell Harrison, M.D. (1909–1984), urologic surgeon
• John Harrison (director) (born 1948), writer, director, producer, and music composer
• John Harrison (Leeds) (1579–1656), benefactor of the Yorkshire town
• John C. Harrison, American law professor
• John Kent Harrison, television producer, director and writer
• John Leonard Harrison (1917–1972), British zoologist
• John Harrison (historian) (1847–1922), Scottish merchant, master tailor and historical author
• John Harrison (engraver) (1872–1954), British stamp engraver
• John Harrison (ice cream taster) (born 1942), American ice cream taster
• John B. Harrison (1861–1947), justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
• John Vernon Harrison (1892–1972), British structural geologist, explorer and cartographer
• John Henry, American folk hero whose existence is disputed
• John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999), American political-family member and journalist, son of John F. Kennedy
• John M. Lloyd (1835–1892), American police officer, tavern owner, and bricklayer, known for testifying in the Abraham Lincoln assassination conspiracy trials
• John McMullin (silversmith) (1765–1843), American silversmith
• John G. Palfrey (1796–1881), American clergyman and historian
• John Palfrey (born 1972), American educator, scholar, and law professor
• John Neil Reagan (1908–1996), American radio station manager, elder brother of Ronald Reagan
• John Payne Todd (1792–1852), first son of Dolley Madison, adopted son of James Madison
• John Traill (1835–1897), Scottish coffee house owner
• John Anderson Truman (1851–1914), father of Harry S. Truman
• John M. Wallace (1815–1880), granduncle of Bess Truman
• John B. Wood (1827–1884), American journalist
• John H. Wood Jr. (1916–1979), U.S. federal judge
• John Wood (millowner) (1758–1???), created the Howard Town Mills complex in Glossop, England
• John Wood (Bradford manufacturer) (1793–1871), English industrialist and factory reformer
• John Wood (explorer) (1812–1871), Scottish explorer of central Asia
• John Wood (photographer), Civil War photographer for Union Army
• John C. Young (college president) (1803-1857), Centre College president