Janice Girl

Popularity: #878 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JAN-iss //ˈdʒænɪs//

Origin: English; Hebrew

Meaning: English: God is gracious; Hebrew: He (God) has been gracious

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Janice is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." This name evolved through several linguistic transformations, first appearing in Greek as Ioannes, which was then adopted into Latin as Johannes. The name made its way into Old French as Jehan, and subsequently into Middle English.

The modern form Janice emerged as a diminutive or feminine variant of Jan, which itself is a short form of Janus, a name that has roots in the Latin word for "January," symbolizing new beginnings. The transition to Janice occurred in the 20th century, influenced by the trend of creating feminine forms of traditionally male names.

Historically, the name Janice can be linked to various cultural and religious figures. The name Yochanan is associated with several biblical figures, including John the Baptist and John the Apostle, both prominent in Christian tradition.

The name's variants have appeared in significant religious texts, including the King James Bible, which was published in the early 17th century, further solidifying its presence in Western culture. The name Janice itself gained traction in the English-speaking world during the 20th century, particularly in the United States, where it was popularized through literature and media.

Culturally, Janice has been associated with qualities such as grace and favor, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has also been embraced in various artistic expressions, including literature and film, contributing to its resonance in popular culture.

Additionally, diminutive forms like Jan or Janie have been used affectionately, showcasing the name's versatility and warmth. Overall, Janice carries a rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in its biblical origins and linguistic evolution.

Famous people named Janice

In this section, you will find notable people named Janice. 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 Janice who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Janice 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.

Janice Joplin is a singer and songwriter best known for Piece of My Heart, Me and Bobby McGee, and Cry Baby.

Janice Dickinson is a model and television personality best known for America's Next Top Model, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, and her autobiography No Lifeguard on Duty.

Janice Kawaye is a voice actress best known for her roles in Hey Arnold!, The Magic School Bus, and The Powerpuff Girls.

Fictional characters named Janice

The following list of fictional characters named Janice 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.

Janice is a fictional character from the TV series Friends. She is known for her distinctive laugh and her catchphrase, often appearing as the ex-wife of Chandler Bing.

Sibling suggestions

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

JanetJasmineJessicaJadeJillianJoyce

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Janice. 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.

JanetJanineJanelleJasmineJodieJoanneJana

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Janice was first seen in the United States in 1894.

Janice has ranked as high as #44 nationally, which occurred in 1951, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Janice 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 Janice 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 Janice.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 70 0 70
2024 83 0 83
2023 98 0 98
2022 90 0 90
2021 87 0 87
2020 97 0 97
2019 141 0 141
2018 154 0 154
2017 148 0 148
2016 165 0 165
2015 198 0 198
2014 178 0 178
2013 188 0 188
2012 192 0 192
2011 192 0 192
2010 236 0 236
2009 331 0 331
2008 254 0 254
2007 286 0 286
2006 260 0 260
2005 238 0 238
2004 285 0 285
2003 245 0 245
2002 325 0 325
2001 273 0 273
2000 310 0 310
1999 298 0 298
1998 311 0 311
1997 311 0 311
1996 338 0 338
1995 362 0 362
1994 420 0 420
1993 450 0 450
1992 462 0 462
1991 485 0 485
1990 514 0 514
1989 546 0 546
1988 636 5 631
1987 675 6 669
1986 666 9 657
1985 696 8 688
1984 758 0 758
1983 778 6 772
1982 880 0 880
1981 890 0 890
1980 1,004 0 1,004
1979 1,084 6 1,078
1978 1,169 7 1,162
1977 1,143 0 1,143
1976 1,160 5 1,155
1975 1,316 6 1,310
1974 1,329 6 1,323
1973 1,485 11 1,474
1972 1,727 14 1,713
1971 2,159 15 2,144
1970 2,345 14 2,331
1969 2,640 9 2,631
1968 3,054 11 3,043
1967 3,524 10 3,514
1966 4,358 13 4,345
1965 5,048 19 5,029
1964 6,188 27 6,161
1963 7,101 27 7,074
1962 7,846 24 7,822
1961 8,759 32 8,727
1960 9,665 45 9,620
1959 10,516 27 10,489
1958 10,916 28 10,888
1957 11,993 25 11,968
1956 13,048 31 13,017
1955 13,215 37 13,178
1954 13,530 25 13,505
1953 14,650 23 14,627
1952 14,995 17 14,978
1951 15,981 23 15,958
1950 15,037 25 15,012
1949 14,471 18 14,453
1948 14,193 31 14,162
1947 15,441 32 15,409
1946 14,069 30 14,039
1945 10,803 22 10,781
1944 9,765 32 9,733
1943 10,690 39 10,651
1942 10,331 45 10,286
1941 10,099 38 10,061
1940 9,365 47 9,318
1939 8,815 37 8,778
1938 8,748 37 8,711
1937 7,802 34 7,768
1936 6,173 23 6,150
1935 4,461 19 4,442
1934 3,599 11 3,588
1933 3,069 8 3,061
1932 2,643 15 2,628
1931 2,298 11 2,287
1930 1,940 10 1,930
1929 1,695 5 1,690
1928 1,570 5 1,565
1927 1,474 6 1,468
1926 1,473 6 1,467
1925 1,510 0 1,510
1924 1,175 0 1,175
1923 787 0 787
1922 745 0 745
1921 732 0 732
1920 670 0 670
1919 589 0 589
1918 510 0 510
1917 455 0 455
1916 372 0 372
1915 285 0 285
1914 225 0 225
1913 157 0 157
1912 142 0 142
1911 117 0 117
1910 89 0 89
1909 78 0 78
1908 59 0 59
1907 40 0 40
1906 51 0 51
1905 42 0 42
1904 36 0 36
1903 35 0 35
1902 43 0 43
1901 34 0 34
1900 37 0 37
1899 13 0 13
1894 5 0 5

Top States for Janice (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 15
32%
NY 14
30%
CA 13
28%
VA 5
11%