# Why is "Jack" such a common name for fictional captains? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864 "2007-07-15T15:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/1 "2007-07-15T15:51:02Z")
I suppose it sounds catchy, but why is “[Captain Jack](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Jack)” such a common name in fiction? Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribean Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who Captain Jack Aubrey from Master and Commander and Captain Jack will get you high tonight… (Billy Joel) not to mention dozens of other movies, books, minor characters and surf/beach/island related businesses all of which have nothing to do with any of them or each other? ---
**Author:** ![Monocracy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monocracy/32/4493_2.png) [@Monocracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monocracy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/2 "2007-07-15T23:12:42Z")
I was thinking about this a little while ago and was going to ask the same question. It’s not just captains, but usually the main hero of a story. I noticed the because three big stories at one time has Jack as the main character: Pirates of the Carribean 24 Lost Then i quickly though of a couple more older examples: Leonardo DiCaprio from Titanic, Harrison Ford from Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, and Jack Crow from the book Armor. I also noticed that John was a very popular name for heroes: John Connor from Terminator, John McClane from Die Hard, John Rambo. Quickly looking through IMDB at the major action stars gives us: Eraser (John) Last Action Hero (Jack) Kindergarten Cop (John) Commando (John) Demolition Man (John) Stargate (Jack) Big Trouble In Little China (Jack) So what gives? Are Jack and John just powerful sounding names? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/3 "2007-07-15T23:23:57Z")
John is one of the **commonest** male first names in the English-speaking world; Jack is a nickname for John. (Unlike in French, where Jean and Jacques are different names in their own right, viz. Jean-Jacques Rousseau.) ---
**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:** [July 15, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/4 "2007-07-15T23:40:39Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] (Unlike in French, where Jean and Jacques are different names in their own right, viz. Jean-Jacques Rousseau.) [/QUOTE] Or ‘John-John’ Kennedy. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/5 "2007-07-15T23:58:03Z")
Jack the Giant-Killer Clever Jack Lots of fairy tale Jacks. Jack the Ripper Spring-Heeled Jack There’s something iconic about the name. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/6 "2007-07-16T00:02:45Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] John is one of the **commonest** male first names in the English-speaking world; Jack is a nickname for John. [/QUOTE] I seem to recall reading somewhere that ‘John’ or ‘Jack’ actually just mean “man,” so when you need a generic name for someone in a fairy tale or nursery rhyme, Jack was what you chose. Hence: Jack and the Beanstalk Jack the Giant Killer Jack Be Nimble Jack and Jill Little Jack Horner Jack Spratt etc. I also think that, for contemporary attribution of names, “Captain Jack” just has a nice sound to it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/7 "2007-07-16T00:42:10Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] I seem to recall reading somewhere that ‘John’ or ‘Jack’ actually just mean “man” . . . [/QUOTE] [I don’t think so.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_%28name%29) > [@](#): > > The name John derives from the Latin Johanne, simplified from Johannes, which derives from Greek Ἰωάννης, Iōannēs, in turn from Mishnaic Hebrew יוחנן Yôḥānān, Yohanan, during the Second Temple Period, after both John the Apostle and John the Baptist, with the original meaning being “God is gracious.” > > Johanne has variants: Iohann, Ion, and Ivan where v is pronounced as ‘u’ - note, the letter J was derived from I, and V from U: compare the Spanish, Juan, and Russian Ivan and the Portuguese Juo and Ivo (now João). > > John was first used in England with the arrival of the Normans in the 11th century and has been in regular use in the English speaking world since the 16th century. Prior to the adoption into English of the letter ‘J’, the letter ‘I’ was used. Seventeenth Century English texts still spelt the name Iohn (compare the Romanian Ion). [As for “Jack”:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_%28name%29) > [@](#): > > Although it may appear at first glance to be derived from the French Jacques—which is cognate with the names James and Jacob—native speakers of English would almost certainly associate the name “Jack” with “John,” rarely with “Jacob,” and probably never with “James.” > > Rather, it is believed that “Jack” is the result of adding the French diminutive suffix “-kin” (much like the German “-chen”) to the name “Jean,” which is the French form of the English “John”, or “Jan,” which is a shortening of the German “Johann.” ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/8 "2007-07-16T00:44:16Z")
I think it’s a popular name for action heroes because it has an aggressive sound, ending with a hard consonant. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/9 "2007-07-16T01:49:13Z")
Jacques Cousteau ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/10 "2007-07-16T01:56:40Z")
Jack Knight was Starman, the everyman hero of the finest comic book series of all time. Of course there is Jack Bauer, another great fictional hero. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/11 "2007-07-16T04:01:54Z")
And of course the ever artful Jack Dawkins ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/12 "2007-07-16T04:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] I also think that, for contemporary attribution of names, “Captain Jack” just has a nice sound to it. [/QUOTE] Even better when it’s pronounced “Cap’n Jack”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/13 "2007-07-16T05:52:24Z")
There was, of course, also [Kintpuash](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintpuash), a Modoc chief who was nicknamed ‘Captain Jack’ by the Americans. I don’t know if the name originated with him, but it’s the earliest example I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/14 "2007-07-16T16:37:18Z")
yeah, but when you want a real hero, you name him Chuck. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/15 "2007-07-16T16:57:49Z")
What about the “CEO” of Jack in the Box? Jack! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/16 "2007-07-16T17:24:36Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Of course there is Jack Bauer, another great fictional hero. [/QUOTE] Fictional? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/17 "2007-07-16T17:45:02Z")
It even sounds good with an added adjective: “Cap’n Fat Jack” from _Splash_ – “I’m going back for the little boat!” ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/18 "2007-07-16T17:51:54Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I think it’s a popular name for action heroes because it has an aggressive sound, ending with a hard consonant. [/QUOTE] In the hard-consonant ending it differs from its “official” version John. I’ve always liked the name John; when you have a rare and difficult surname as I do, having an everyday given name is no bad thing. Though, if that were my name, I might well go with “Jack” for everyday use, because it would go better with my last name. **GuanoLad’s** assertion is not entirely wrong. There is an expression, “every man Jack”, meaning “each and every one of the guys”. I think it’s more British than American; I really don’t know if anyone says it here. The way I heard it used was in Pete Best’s memoir; when describing their Star-Club gig he said they got such and such amount for “every man jack”. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/19 "2007-07-16T21:41:49Z")
jack of all trades… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864/20 "2007-07-16T21:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] There is an expression, “every man Jack”, meaning “each and every one of the guys”. I think it’s more British than American; I really don’t know if anyone says it here. [/QUOTE] I wonder if that came from the old name Jack Tar used for Royal Navy sailors. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-jack-such-a-common-name-for-fictional-captains/411864.md?page=2)