Girl · #8,922 in 2026

Jinan

Jinan is the capital of the province of Shandong in East China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is one of the largest cities in Shandong in terms of population. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub.

Current Rank
#8,922
Peak Rank
#8,483 (2014)
Total Babies
238
5-Yr Trend
-17%
1990
First Year
2024
Last Year
2014
Peak Year
#8483
Peak Rank
238
Total Count
30
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jinan

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

Jinan is the capital of the province of Shandong in East China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is one of the largest cities in Shandong in terms of population. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub.

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

Etymology
The modern-day name Jinan literally means "south of the Ji" and refers to the old Ji River (濟水) that had flowed to the north of the city until the middle of the 19th century. Similar names can be found in Jiyuan (lit. "source of Ji River") and Jiyang (lit. " yang (north) side of Ji River"), The Ji River disappeared in 1852 when the Yellow River changed its course northwards and took over its bed. The current pronunciation of the character "Ji" with the third tone ( jǐ ) was established in the late 1970s. Prior to this, it was pronounced with the fourth tone ( jì ). Older western texts spell th

The Story of Jinan

Jinan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1990, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 13 Jinans were born — ranking #8,483 that year. As of 2026, Jinan ranks #8,922 for baby girls with 11 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 238 Jinans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Notable people named Jinan

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Fu Sheng (268–178 BC), Confucianism scholar
  • Xin Qiji (1140-1207), famous poet
  • Li Qingzhao (1084-1155), famous poet
  • Zhang Yanghao (1270–1329), famous author
  • Yan Ping (1956-), painter
  • Gong Li (1956-), actress
  • China portal

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

Names that sound like Jinan

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jinan 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 Jinan

What does the name Jinan mean?
Jinan is the capital of the province of Shandong in East China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is one of the largest cities in Shandong in terms of population. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub.
How popular is Jinan in 2026?
In 2026, Jinan ranks #8,922 among girls' names in the U.S., with 11 babies given the name that year.
When was Jinan most popular?
Jinan reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #8,483 that year with 13 babies given the name.
Is Jinan a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Jinan is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Jinan?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jinan include Nalina, Neri, Persephanie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Nalina
Peak #8483
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Neri
Peak #8483
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Persephanie
Peak #8483
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Kaho
Peak #8483
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Hagan
Peak #8483
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Rand
Peak #8483
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Kalese
Peak #8483
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Jaanai
Peak #8483

About the name Jinan

Jinan is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 238 births in the dataset. Jinan's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #8,483. Use the chart and map above to compare Jinan'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.