Relic of a past period of French favorites, out to pasture with Claudette and Paulette.

Streamlined version of the classic boys' names, sometimes a short form of Jonathan, which is in fact an entirely different name from John attached to a different Biblical personage. Jon feels more modern than the traditional John, but some may find it an overly slight variation on an already slim name. Jon Snow is a popular character on HBO's Game of Thrones.

Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.

A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it with the Brady Bunchesque girls' name Jan, which is now officially extinct.

Anglicized form of Seònaid, the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of Janet. It has historically been quite popular in Scotland, although it hasn't ranked in the Top 100 there since 1995.

Iain, this authentic Gaelic form of John, has been well used in Scotland since the early twentieth century, used concurrently with the shortened Ian spelling, but is rarely seen in the US.

An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.

For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.

Gianni, the Italian equivalent of Johnny, sounds more substantial and fresh. Like many names starting with "Gian", it is on a rising trend (for both boys and girls, though it leans more male). TV star Jill Hennessey's son is named Gianni Mastropietro.

Gian sounds (almost) like John, so there's some potential for confusion, but the spelling makes it unmistakeably Italian. It could be a solution if longer names like Gianni and Gianluca aren't your style.

Classically, the De- prefix indicates "son of," so any variation of this name could work for the child of a dad named Shawn or Sean.

A cute Finnish mini-name originating from Johannes.

Jeannot is a charming masculine French diminutive of Jean (the French equivalent of John). The '-ot' suffix traditionally indicates affection or endearment in French naming customs. The name ultimately derives from Hebrew origins meaning 'God is gracious.' Jeannot has a playful, affectionate quality while maintaining a distinctly French character. While common in French-speaking regions historically, especially as a nickname, it's relatively uncommon as a formal given name, particularly outside Francophone communities. The name carries a certain rustic charm and cultural specificity, evoking images of rural French life. For parents seeking a name with authentic French heritage and a friendly, approachable quality, Jeannot offers distinctive cultural connections.

Seanan might be considered an Anglicized form of Seanán, itself a modern form of Senán, an Old Irish name meaning "little old one", giving it a wise and ancient feel. The name of a 6th century saint and monk, Seanan might also be considered an elaboration or a diminutive of Sean, the Irish variation of John. By combining it with the -an suffix (meaning "descendent of" or more literally "little") it could be a way to freshen up the now well-travelled Irish name.

Jovan, the name of the supreme Roman deity, seems more extraterrestrial now -- and it's also firmly attached to a perfume label. Some parents may see it as a variation of Giovanni, the Italian for John. It is in fact the Slavic variation of John and may be an original way to honor an ancestral John.

St. JOhn is mainly (but rarely) used by Catholics in England -- there's one in Jane Eyre. This would probably be too cumbersome for most American kids.

This might be a better choice than the similarly pronounced Jan, to avoid gender confusion.

Those "Where's Gretel?" jokes will get old pretty fast.

A cross between Ian and a group of atomic particles.

This short form of Ivan just could join the other Russian nickname names coming into fashion, and it does have the Chekhov connection.