Jean
Jean is a name with multiple cultural origins: French, English, Scottish.
- French
- English
- Scottish
Meaning & Origin of Jean
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jean is a name with multiple cultural origins: French, English, Scottish.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- French
- English
- Scottish
The Story of Jean
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Jean as a girl name dates back to 1880, when 59 babies received it. 1927 was its biggest year on record, with 12,512 newborns named Jean — #14 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 23% of all recorded Jeans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,507 among girl names with 71 births, gradually falling (-10%). In total, more than 458K Jeans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Jean on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 12 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 428 Jeans were born — ranking #489 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,133 among boy names with 190 births, rising sharply (+23% over the past five years). In total, more than 25K Jeans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jean
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jean. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Where is Jean most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- HT33%
- France19%
- United States17%
- CM15%
- CI15%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Jean
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jean 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 Jean
What does the name Jean mean?
What is the origin of the name Jean?
How popular is Jean in 2026?
When was Jean most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jean most popular?
Is Jean a unisex name?
What names go well with Jean?
What are nicknames or variants of Jean?
About the name Jean
Jean is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 458K births in the dataset. Jean's peak popularity came in 1927 when it ranked #12. Use the chart and map above to compare Jean's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1927 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.