Ιωάννης
Ioánnis/ioˈa.nis/masculine
The English name John is translated into Greek as Ιωάννης (Ioánnis). Wiktionary also lists Τζον (Tzon) and Τζων (Tzon).
Meaning: male given name (name)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ιωάννης | Ioánnis | /ioˈa.nis/ | masculine |
| Τζον | Tzon | masculine | |
| Τζων | Tzon | masculine |
The name refers to a male given name. In Greek, the traditional and formal version is Ιωάννης, which is also used in religious or historical contexts, such as for Ιωάννης ο Βαπτιστής (John the Baptist).
Which one should you use?
Ιωάννης is the traditional, formal Greek version of the name. In contrast, Τζον is the transliterated English version.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Ioánnis is /ioˈa.nis/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The name's root traces back to the Hebrew name Yōḥānān, which means 'God is gracious'.
- Because the sound 'dz' does not exist naturally in the Greek alphabet, the English name 'John' is transliterated as Τζον using a combination of letters to mimic the sound.
- The traditional name Ιωάννης has a common much shorter variant, Γιάννης, which is used more frequently in everyday Greek life.
Examples in context
- Ο Τζον δεν είν' εδώ.John isn't here.This sentence demonstrates the use of the transliterated form Τζον.Tatoeba #5441086 by Zeus, translation #719437 by CN
- Ο Ιωάννης ο Βαπτιστής ήταν πρόδρομος του Ιησού Χριστού.John the Baptist was the precursor of Jesus Christ.
- Γεια σου Γιάννη, πώς είσαι;Hello Giannis, how are you?
- Χρόνια πολλά Γιάννη μου!Happy birthday, my dear Yanni!
- Ο Ιωάννης είναι καλός φίλος μου.O Ioánnis eínai kalós fílos mou.John is a good friend of mine.
- Με λένε Ιωάννης.Me léne Ioánnis.My name is John.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia is asking George about a new colleague.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΠοιος είναι ο νέος υπάλληλος;Poíos eínai o néos ypállilos?Who is the new employee?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΤον λένε Ιωάννης.Ton léne Ioánnis.His name is Ioannis.
- Αναστασία AnastasiaΕίναι από εδώ της περιοχής;Eínai apó edó tis periochís?Is he from this area?
- Γιώργος GiorgosΝαι, ο Ιωάννης είναι από εδώ.Nai, o Ioánnis eínai apó edó.Yes, Ioannis is from here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “john” translations and entries Ιωάννης, Τζον, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ιωάννης, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
