Jack

• enPR: jăk, IPA^(key): /dʒæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

From Middle English Jankin, a popular pet form of John; rarely also an anglicized form of French Jacques (equivalent of Jacob and James). It can be also used as nickname for Jacob. Though the name was originally a pet form, it has become more of an independent name. Equivalent to John + -kin.

See also Middle French Hennequin, Jannequin and Middle Dutch Janneken.

Jack (plural Jacks)

1. A male given name, also used as a pet form of John.
   • c. 1593, William Shakespeare: Richard III: Act I, Scene III:

     Since every Jack became a gentleman

     there's many a gentle person made a Jack.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, with the Life and Death of Henry, Sirnamed Hot-spvrre”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, Act II, scene iv, page 58, column 1:

     Heere comes leane Iacke, heere comes bare-bone. How now my ſweet Creature of Bombaſt, how long is't agoe, Iacke, ſince thou ſaw'ſt thine owne Knee?

   • 1895 Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest:

     JACK. Well, really, Gwendolen, I must say that I think that there are lots of other much nicer names. I think Jack, for instance, a charming name.

     GWENDOLEN. Jack?...No, there is very little music in the name Jack, if any at all, indeed. It does not thrill. It produces absolutely no vibrations...I have known several Jacks, and they all, without exception, were more than usually plain. Besides, Jack is a notorious domesticity for John!

2. A surname​.

• Jack County
• Jacksboro
• diminutives: Jacky, Jackie
• surnames: Jackson

• → Danish: Jack
• → Swedish: Jack

From the common name above.

Jack (plural Jacks)

1. (informal) a placeholder or conventional name for any man, particularly a younger, lower-class man
2. (informal, archaic) a Jack Tar, a sailor
   • 1899, Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, section 1

     When he went home on leave he rioted on a large scale—pompously. Jack ashore—with a difference—in externals only.

3. (informal, archaic) a Jack Rum, a soldier
4. A jacqueminot rose.

Despite being a common noun, the word is still treated as a name and capitalized as such. The name is most often used with a descriptive "surname", showing the type of lad intended.

Jack (uncountable)

1. (slang) Jack Daniel's, a brand of American whiskey.
   • 2009, "Ke$ha" (Kesha Rose Sebert), Tik Tok (song)

     Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack.

From English Jack.

Jack

1. A male given name.

From English Jack. First recorded as a Swedish name in 1883.

Jack c (genitive Jacks)

1. A male given name.