jack

Jack is a male given name that is widely used in English-speaking countries. It originated as a diminutive of John, and by the early modern period had become a given name in its own right. The name has remained popular for centuries and has yielded numerous nicknames and longer forms across cultures.

In addition to being a name, jack has many other meanings. A jack is a lifting device—hydraulic, bottle, or scissor—used to raise heavy loads such as vehicles. In cards, the jack is a face card valued at eleven, once known as the knave. A jack also denotes a connector or socket for audio and other signals, and a flag flown on ships, notably the Union Jack. The term appears in phrases like “jack of all trades” to denote a versatile person.

Numerous real and fictional figures bear the name Jack, reflecting its enduring popularity. Notable examples include writers Jack London and Jack Kerouac, actors Jack Nicholson and Jack Black, and fictional characters such as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. The name and its variants appear in literature, film, music, and television across many cultures.