# What are 'John-Johns'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064 "2014-12-12T22:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/1 "2014-12-12T22:20:32Z")
I came across the term ‘John-Johns’ in an article the other day. I _should_ know what John-Johns are, as ISTR it being a term when I was little. Or maybe it’s because one of my friends was called ‘John-John’. Are John-Johns some sort of pyjamas? ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/2 "2014-12-12T23:15:33Z")
John-John is a popular nickname for children named John - John F Kennedy Jr. was called John-John as a child. The only clothing I know of would be “long-johns.” Wikipedia - [Long Underwear](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_underwear) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/3 "2014-12-12T23:18:54Z")
> [@Ornery\_Bob](#): > > The only clothing I know of would be “long-johns.” The article I read said something like ‘and the kids standing there in their John-Johns’. It wasn’t long-johns. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/4 "2014-12-12T23:19:51Z")
an unfilled eclair shaped doughnut is also called a Long John. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/5 "2014-12-12T23:21:30Z")
I recall someone from my childhood–my mother or maybe an aunt–referring to my pajamas as john-johns. I don’t remember that they were a special kind of pajama. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/6 "2014-12-12T23:22:46Z")
They’re little one-piece toddler rompers. Here’s [one for sale](http://www.zulily.com/p/green-gingham-personalized-john-johns-infant-toddler-boys-54373-2442350.html). Plenty more at [Google Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=john+johns&biw=1440&bih=709&noj=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=m3iLVPLYB8GwogS15IDoAQ&ved=0CCYQsAQ). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/7 "2014-12-12T23:44:39Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > They’re little one-piece toddler rompers. Here’s [one for sale](http://www.zulily.com/p/green-gingham-personalized-john-johns-infant-toddler-boys-54373-2442350.html). Plenty more at [Google Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=john+johns&biw=1440&bih=709&noj=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=m3iLVPLYB8GwogS15IDoAQ&ved=0CCYQsAQ). Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/8 "2014-12-14T23:16:20Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The article I read said something like ‘and the kids standing there in their John-Johns’. It wasn’t long-johns. When I was a kid in the 1950s my parents would sometimes refer to long-john style pajamas as “john-johns.” They looked more or less like [this,](http://ep.yimg.com/ay/bestdressedchild/saras-prints-boys-green-white-striped-christmas-santa-claus-long-john-pajamas-pj-s-3.jpg) but could be two-piece. If the article was set in the 1950s it would be something like that, and not rompers for toddlers. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/9 "2014-12-15T04:15:58Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > They’re little one-piece toddler rompers. Here’s [one for sale](http://www.zulily.com/p/green-gingham-personalized-john-johns-infant-toddler-boys-54373-2442350.html). Plenty more at [Google Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=john+johns&biw=1440&bih=709&noj=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=m3iLVPLYB8GwogS15IDoAQ&ved=0CCYQsAQ). Yes, and I am under the impression they are called “John Johns” because John F. Kennedy, Jr. wore them as a White House toddler. I know they had a surge of popularity in the early 60s, so that would make sense. Anyone know if that’s correct? [Here’s an example of John John wearing “John Johns.”](http://archive1.jfklibrary.org/JFKWHP/1963/Month%2010/Day%2024/JFKWHP-1963-10-24-H/JFKWHP-ST-C363-3-63.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/10 "2014-12-15T04:57:59Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Yes, and I am under the impression they are called “John Johns” because John F. Kennedy, Jr. wore them as a White House toddler. I know they had a surge of popularity in the early 60s, so that would make sense. Anyone know if that’s correct? > [Here’s an example of John John wearing “John Johns.”](http://archive1.jfklibrary.org/JFKWHP/1963/Month%2010/Day%2024/JFKWHP-1963-10-24-H/JFKWHP-ST-C363-3-63.jpg) I very much doubt that. As I said, I recall them being called “john-johns” in the 1950s, long before John John Kennedy was around. Also, in the photo he’s not wearing john-johns - that is, long john style pajamas - as I knew the term. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/11 "2014-12-15T05:59:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I very much doubt that. As I said, I recall them being called “john-johns” in the 1950s, long before John John Kennedy was around. Also, in the photo he’s not wearing john-johns - that is, long john style pajamas - as I knew the term. Sorry, but you are mistaken about what “John Johns” are. **SpoilerVirgin** had it right. And John John is wearing “John Johns” in [this photo](http://archive1.jfklibrary.org/JFKWHP/1963/Month%2010/Day%2024/JFKWHP-1963-10-24-H/JFKWHP-ST-C363-3-63.jpg). I know this because I had a similar getup at that age, a few years later, which my mother always referred to as “John Johns.” (They are responsible for some of my most humiliating childhood photos.) Don’t believe me? Try a [Google image search for “John Johns.”](https://www.google.com/search?q=john+johns&biw=1252&bih=558&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=znWOVISVMI3hggTO8oLQBw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg) And as a bonus, and in support of my understanding that they were called that because of John John Kennedy, here are [more](http://blog.oregonlive.com/kiddo_impact/2008/07/whitehouse.jpg) [images](http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq5497ljfL1qhspbko1_500.jpg) of [John John](http://www.americanheritage1.com/assets/images/presidents/jfk-jr-and-father-photo-1.jpg) [Kennedy](http://www.whha.org/photographs/white-house-administrations/images/kennedy-caroline-john-jr-southlawn.jpg) in [John Johns](http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f0/64/ab/f064ab0cd169005240934605345c89a8.jpg). They were his “uniform” at the White House. (What you linked are long johns. I have never heard those called “John Johns,” and I suspect you may be mis-remembering.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/12 "2014-12-15T06:13:16Z")
Also, [here’s an article that connects the style to John John Kennedy](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/west-palms-swanson-creations-supplies-families-wit/nL5PG/): > [@](#): > > Despite Americans’ casual dress, there are plenty of people who prefer to dress their children in a **look reminiscent of the late John F. Kennedy Jr.‘s when his family lived in the White House. Some refer to boys’ shortalls as “John-Johns.”** And from [here](http://www.iloveyoumorethancarrots.com/2011/12/wtf-longall.html): > [@](#): > > Jon jons were actually called jon jons because John F. Kennedy Jr., the Great President’s son wore them. They were called short rompers or shortalls before JFK, Jr. wore them. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/13 "2014-12-15T14:35:14Z")
Two guys that go to a whorehouse and split the bill? ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/14 "2014-12-15T20:25:58Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > (They are responsible for some of my most humiliating childhood photos.) Cite? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/15 "2014-12-15T20:37:44Z")
I always knew it as a [hair style](http://www.hairstylegalleries.com/wiki/john-john-haircut.html). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-john-johns/707064/16 "2014-12-15T21:29:57Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > Cite? Never!