Jean
About Jean
Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of silver screen glamour. Now, though there are many grandmas and even moms with the name, it doesn't seem all that baby-friendly. Though that could change, and Jean could join Jane.
A perennial on the popularity list until it finally dropped off in 1994, Jean was in the Top 20 from 1922 to 1936 and ranks among the 100 most common names for girls of the past century. It was extremely well-used as a middle name, as in Michael Jackson's song "Billie Jean" and tennis champ Billie Jean King, not to mention Hermione Jean Granger from Harry Potter/. It was also the actual first name of Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Maggie Smith shone in the 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and nickname Jeanie was commemorated in the Stephen Foster classic song "I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair," as well as in the early sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.
Pronounced JEEN.
As of October 2026, Jean ranked #2130 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #12 in 1929, Nameberry popularity #588.
Editor: Sophie Kihm
Sources: US popularity data is from the Social Security Administration. Meanings and origins are from Nameberry's name references.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #2,380 | 77 | 43.1 |
| 2015 | #2,664 | 67 | 37.5 |
| 2016 | #2,451 | 75 | 42.3 |
| 2017 | #2,473 | 73 | 42.3 |
| 2018 | #2,393 | 76 | 44.7 |
| 2019 | #2,098 | 90 | 53.6 |
| 2020 | #2,357 | 75 | 46.4 |
| 2021 | #2,240 | 83 | 50.6 |
| 2022 | #2,474 | 73 | 44.5 |
| 2023 | #2,629 | 67 | 41.8 |
| 2024 | #2,411 | 75 | 46.3 |
| 2025 | #2,130 | 88 | 54.8 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Jean.
- Wendy
- Nancy
- Betsy
- Gretchen
- Sally
- Georgienne
- Dora
- Ginny
- Joan
- Gloria
- Peggy
- Lois
- Dorethea
- Virginia
- Bess
- Bessie
- Pauline
- Beth
- Shoshannah
- Maxine
Jean on lists
Famous Jeans
- Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene)
American actress
- Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter)
American actress
- Jean Merilyn Simmons
English actress
- Jean Dorothy Seberg
American actress
- Jean Stapleton
American actress
- Jean Bartel
Miss America 1943
- Jean Rhys (born Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams)
Dominican novelist
- Jean Shrimpton
English supermodel
- Jean Marsh
English actress
- Jean Casarez
American lawyer and news correspondent
- Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin
American comedienne
- (Jean) Paige Turco
American actress
Jean in pop culture
- Jean Fordham
character in "August: Osage County" by Tracy Letts
- Jean Louise "Scout" Finch
character in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
- Jean Bueller
character in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
- Jean Meecher
character in "Breathless"
- Jean Elaine Grey
Summers, character in Marvel Universe
- "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
" novel by Muriel Spark
- Jean
character in video game Lunar 2 Eternal Blue
- Priscilla
Jean Henrietta "Tulip" O'Hare, character in DC Universe's "Preacher"
- Hermione Jean Granger
character in the Harry Potter series
- "Billie Jean
" 1983 song by Michael Jackson
- "Jean
" 1969 song by Oliver
- "Cheer up
Sleepy Jean", chorus in Daydream Believer by The Monkees
- "The King's Dochter Lady Jean"
A ballad in the 19th century collection "The Child Ballads"
- "Jean o Bethelnie"
A ballad in the 19th century collection "The Child Ballads"