NameChart

Jane

Girl name

Jane has been given to 381,009 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1947 and currently ranks #221 for girls (2025).

Meaning & origin /d͡ʒeɪn/

Variant of Jeanne, from French Jeanne, from Middle French Jehanne, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack and earlier use of Joan in the same role. Doublet of Gianna, Ivana, Jana, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun

Origin: French

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

02.486k4.972k7.457k9.943k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

381,009

Peak year

1947 (9,961 babies)

Rank in 2025

#221 for girls

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +24%

Gender split

100% girls / 0% boys

Famous people named Jane

Jane Austen

English novelist (1775–1817)

Jane Fonda

American actress and activist

Lady Jane Grey

Queen of England and Ireland in July 1553

Jane Birkin

British-French actress and singer (1946–2023)

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Jane.

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