Janis Girl

Popularity: #938 · Trend: ↘ Falling

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

Origin: English; Hebrew

Meaning: English: God is gracious; Hebrew: gift from God

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Janis is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." This name evolved through several linguistic stages, transitioning from Hebrew to Greek as Ioannes, then to Latin as Iohannes, and subsequently to Old French as Johan. The name ultimately entered the English language as John, which has numerous variants across different cultures.

Janis is considered a feminine form of this name, emerging in the 20th century, particularly influenced by the name Janice, which itself is a diminutive of Jan. Historically, the name John has significant biblical roots, being borne by numerous figures in the Christian tradition, including John the Baptist and the Apostle John.

The name's prominence was further solidified through its use in major religious texts, such as the King James Bible, published in 1611, which contributed to the widespread recognition of its variants. The feminine form Janis gained traction in the mid-20th century, notably associated with cultural icons such as Janis Joplin, a prominent figure in the music scene of the 1960s.

Culturally, Janis carries connotations of grace and favor, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, often symbolizing individuality and creativity.

Its association with notable personalities has contributed to its resonance in popular culture, while the diminutive Janie has also been used historically, adding a layer of familiarity and affection to the name. Overall, Janis encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural significance.

Famous people named Janis

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

We also feature individuals named Janis 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.

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

Janis Ian is a singer-songwriter best known for At Seventeen, Society's Child, and Stars.

Janis Karpinski is a former U.S. Army officer best known for her role in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

Fictional characters named Janis

The following list of fictional characters named Janis 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.

Janis Ian is a fictional character from the film Mean Girls. She is a smart and outspoken student who befriends the protagonist, Cady Heron.

Sibling suggestions

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

JasmineJanelleJennaJessicaJoyceJoanna

Similar names

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

JanetJadaJasmineJolieJunoJennaJanelle

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Janis was first seen in the United States in 1909.

Janis has ranked as high as #208 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and New York.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Janis 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 Janis 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 Janis.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 10 0 10
2024 11 0 11
2023 17 6 11
2022 15 5 10
2021 10 0 10
2020 9 0 9
2019 21 0 21
2018 20 0 20
2017 20 0 20
2016 23 0 23
2015 30 0 30
2014 33 0 33
2013 28 0 28
2012 18 0 18
2011 23 0 23
2010 37 0 37
2009 35 0 35
2008 27 0 27
2007 30 0 30
2006 31 0 31
2005 36 0 36
2004 40 0 40
2003 26 0 26
2002 44 0 44
2001 38 0 38
2000 41 5 36
1999 52 0 52
1998 53 0 53
1997 40 0 40
1996 32 0 32
1995 46 0 46
1994 54 0 54
1993 45 0 45
1992 53 0 53
1991 40 0 40
1990 46 0 46
1989 75 0 75
1988 55 0 55
1987 47 0 47
1986 63 0 63
1985 80 0 80
1984 75 0 75
1983 102 0 102
1982 106 0 106
1981 124 0 124
1980 143 5 138
1979 161 0 161
1978 154 0 154
1977 161 0 161
1976 171 0 171
1975 155 0 155
1974 161 0 161
1973 168 5 163
1972 209 6 203
1971 280 0 280
1970 244 0 244
1969 275 5 270
1968 284 0 284
1967 306 0 306
1966 345 0 345
1965 427 0 427
1964 523 7 516
1963 664 0 664
1962 600 9 591
1961 708 0 708
1960 863 6 857
1959 1,011 0 1,011
1958 1,224 0 1,224
1957 1,553 0 1,553
1956 2,372 8 2,364
1955 1,850 10 1,840
1954 1,791 0 1,791
1953 1,872 8 1,864
1952 2,189 8 2,181
1951 2,557 7 2,550
1950 2,301 6 2,295
1949 2,458 0 2,458
1948 2,750 5 2,745
1947 3,217 12 3,205
1946 2,060 7 2,053
1945 1,133 5 1,128
1944 734 5 729
1943 658 7 651
1942 719 0 719
1941 601 5 596
1940 578 0 578
1939 620 0 620
1938 645 5 640
1937 722 6 716
1936 599 0 599
1935 448 0 448
1934 412 0 412
1933 361 0 361
1932 312 6 306
1931 261 0 261
1930 270 0 270
1929 226 0 226
1928 199 5 194
1927 197 0 197
1926 145 0 145
1925 140 0 140
1924 133 0 133
1923 107 0 107
1922 106 0 106
1921 105 0 105
1920 121 0 121
1919 79 0 79
1918 74 0 74
1917 55 0 55
1916 54 0 54
1915 39 0 39
1914 34 0 34
1913 20 0 20
1912 15 0 15
1911 11 0 11
1910 8 0 8
1909 6 0 6

Top States for Janis (2019)

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
CA 6
55%
TX 5
45%