Jan Unisex

Popularity: #943 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: YAHN /jɑn/

Origin: Hebrew; Dutch; English

Meaning: Hebrew: God is gracious; Dutch: gift from God; English: variant of Jane

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jan has its roots in the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." This name was adapted into Greek as Ioannes, which later evolved into Latin as Johannes. The name made its way into Old French as Jean, which was then anglicized to John in English.

The feminine form Jan emerged as a diminutive or variant of Jane, which is derived from the same Hebrew root through the Latin Johannes. This linguistic journey illustrates the transformation of the name across cultures and languages, reflecting its enduring significance in various traditions.

Historically, the name Jan has been associated with several notable figures. In the Christian tradition, John the Baptist and Saint John the Apostle are prominent biblical figures bearing the name, which contributed to its widespread use in medieval Europe.

The name gained further prominence through the translation of the Bible into various vernaculars, including the King James Bible in the early 17th century, where the name John appears frequently. Additionally, Jan has been used in various royal contexts, particularly in regions influenced by the Latin and French forms of the name, such as in the Netherlands and parts of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.

Culturally, the name Jan carries connotations of grace and favor, reflecting its original meaning. It has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, often symbolizing a connection to divinity or benevolence.

In some traditions, Jan is celebrated as a name associated with strength and leadership, particularly in historical contexts where figures named Jan played significant roles in governance or religious leadership. The name's adaptability and historical resonance have allowed it to maintain a presence in various cultures, contributing to its lasting legacy.

Famous people named Jan

In this section, you will find notable people named Jan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Jan van Eyck is a painter best known for The Arnolfini Portrait, Ghent Altarpiece, and Portrait of a Man.

Jan Koum is a technology entrepreneur best known for co-founding WhatsApp.

Jan Brady is a fictional character best known as one of the daughters in The Brady Bunch.

Jan Hammer is a composer and musician best known for Miami Vice Theme, Crockett's Theme, and his work with Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Fictional characters named Jan

The following list of fictional characters named Jan is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Jan is a fictional character from the TV series The Brady Bunch. She is the middle daughter of the Brady family, known for her catchphrase 'Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!' and her struggles with feeling overshadowed by her older sister.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

AnnaEmmaLilaMayaNinaSara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

JadeJillJoyJuneJoanJeanJasmineJodie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jan was first seen in the United States in 1902.

Jan has ranked as high as #207 nationally, which occurred in 1954, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Jan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 52 47 5
2024 66 66 0
2023 69 69 0
2022 68 68 0
2021 67 62 5
2020 74 69 5
2019 59 54 5
2018 82 82 0
2017 63 63 0
2016 89 84 5
2015 101 93 8
2014 84 84 0
2013 119 112 7
2012 115 107 8
2011 123 116 7
2010 140 135 5
2009 168 160 8
2008 206 206 0
2007 195 189 6
2006 285 279 6
2005 225 215 10
2004 244 235 9
2003 201 191 10
2002 181 175 6
2001 229 214 15
2000 209 192 17
1999 115 107 8
1998 93 81 12
1997 92 77 15
1996 119 101 18
1995 134 107 27
1994 123 105 18
1993 111 95 16
1992 124 95 29
1991 142 101 41
1990 172 126 46
1989 148 102 46
1988 175 109 66
1987 176 101 75
1986 187 117 70
1985 221 131 90
1984 269 145 124
1983 256 113 143
1982 306 143 163
1981 281 118 163
1980 300 114 186
1979 329 132 197
1978 377 132 245
1977 343 112 231
1976 400 146 254
1975 359 97 262
1974 425 101 324
1973 419 124 295
1972 505 128 377
1971 555 143 412
1970 661 163 498
1969 732 163 569
1968 833 178 655
1967 924 178 746
1966 1,043 201 842
1965 1,156 219 937
1964 1,474 215 1,259
1963 1,791 229 1,562
1962 2,074 296 1,778
1961 2,380 348 2,032
1960 2,817 370 2,447
1959 2,979 392 2,587
1958 3,060 429 2,631
1957 3,421 430 2,991
1956 3,704 503 3,201
1955 3,423 655 2,768
1954 3,761 768 2,993
1953 3,187 580 2,607
1952 3,107 626 2,481
1951 2,917 732 2,185
1950 2,333 608 1,725
1949 2,073 551 1,522
1948 1,902 640 1,262
1947 2,034 676 1,358
1946 1,715 566 1,149
1945 1,360 496 864
1944 1,155 544 611
1943 1,192 551 641
1942 1,046 512 534
1941 904 459 445
1940 680 349 331
1939 612 308 304
1938 586 317 269
1937 484 245 239
1936 501 272 229
1935 384 196 188
1934 305 145 160
1933 201 86 115
1932 167 48 119
1931 153 49 104
1930 89 29 60
1929 74 28 46
1928 83 33 50
1927 72 23 49
1926 45 14 31
1925 57 26 31
1924 46 14 32
1923 34 21 13
1922 48 21 27
1921 43 18 25
1920 48 29 19
1919 36 24 12
1918 53 33 20
1917 42 22 20
1916 33 18 15
1915 33 22 11
1914 29 21 8
1913 19 11 8
1912 16 8 8
1911 8 0 8
1910 9 9 0
1909 6 6 0
1906 5 5 0
1902 5 5 0

Top States for Jan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 10
26%
FL 9
24%
CA 8
21%
IL 6
16%
NY 5
13%