Girl · #278 in 2026

Jane

Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of Jehanne, the Old French feminine form of Iohannes, a Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs), which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), a short form of the name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan), meaning "Yahweh is merciful".

Current Rank
#278
Peak Rank
#35 (1947)
Total Babies
381K
5-Yr Trend
-2%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1947
Peak Year
#35
Peak Rank
381K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jane

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of Jehanne, the Old French feminine form of Iohannes, a Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs), which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), a short form of the name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan), meaning "Yahweh is merciful".

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
Calamity Jane (1852–1903), U.S. frontierswoman Jane Addams (1860–1935), American Nobel Peace Prize-winning social worker and co-founder of Hull House Jane Kelley Adams (1852–1924), American educator Jane Grace Alexander (1848–1932), American banker Jane Digby (1807–1881), English adventurer Jane Franklin (née Griffin; 1791–1875), English explorer Jane Gemmill (1855-?), Scottish temperance activist Jane Louisa Hardy (1828–1915), American temperance activist and philanthropist Jane Horney (1918–1945), Swedish spy during WWII Jane Roe , alias of Norma McCorvey (1947–2017), plaintiff in the landma

The Story of Jane

Jane first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 215 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 9,942 Janes were born — ranking #36 that year. As of 2026, Jane ranks #278 for baby girls with 1,145 births, holding steady (-2%). In total, more than 381K Janes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Jane

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jane is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jane

What does the name Jane mean?
Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of Jehanne, the Old French feminine form of Iohannes, a Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs), which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), a short form of the name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan), meaning "Yahweh is merciful".
How popular is Jane in 2026?
In 2026, Jane ranks #278 among girls' names in the U.S., with 1,145 babies given the name that year.
When was Jane most popular?
Jane reached its peak popularity in 1947, ranking #35 that year with 9,942 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Jane most popular?
Jane has historically been most popular in Hawaii, U.S. Territories, New Hampshire. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Jane.
Is Jane a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Jane is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Jane?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jane include Connie, Carole, Lindsey. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Connie
Peak #35
👧
Carole
Peak #35
👧
Lindsey
Peak #35
👧
Tara
Peak #35
👧
Jessie
Peak #34
👧
Lula
Peak #36
👧
Beatrice
Peak #36
👧
Gail
Peak #36

About the name Jane

Jane is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 381K births in the dataset. Jane's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #35. Use the chart and map above to compare Jane's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.