Where does the name Jane come from?

Jane is a girl name of English origin.

Is Jane a boy or a girl name?

Jane is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Jane are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Jane in 2023?

Jane ranks #281 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 9,961 babies.

How do you pronounce Jane?

Jane is pronounced JAYN (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Jane?

Jane is also written as Jayne, Jean, Janet.

A name from English · Girl

Jane

The English feminine of John, from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), "God is gracious." Borne by Queen Jane Grey (the "nine days' queen") and by Jane Austen, whose six novels permanently coded the name as bookish.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

377,310 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,116 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JThe English feminine of John, from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), "God is gracious." Borne by Queen Jane Grey (the "nine days' queen") and by Jane Austen, whose six novels permanently coded the name as bookish.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Jane".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Jayne Most common Jean Janet

Quick answers

People often ask about Jane.

What does the name Jane mean?: Jane means the English feminine of John, from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), "God is gracious." Borne by Queen Jane Grey (the "nine days' queen") and by Jane Austen, whose six novels permanently coded the name as bookish.
Where does the name Jane come from?: Jane is a girl name of English origin.
Is Jane a boy or a girl name?: Jane is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Jane are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Jane in 2023?: Jane ranks #281 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 9,961 babies.
How do you pronounce Jane?: Jane is pronounced JAYN (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Jane?: Jane is also written as Jayne, Jean, Janet.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.