African-American Naming History: The evolution of Black names

British Names: the Ultimate Guide

How to Name Your Baby After Your Grandma

Initial Names: From AJ to Zee

Bridgerton Names: Fantasy or historic reality?

Tudor Names Are Rich in History

Vintage Nicknames Refresh Classic Names

Don't Name Your Daughter Harper

Feminist Names For Empowered Children

How I Named My Baby by the Numbers

Science Geek Chic Names: Biology Department

Hawaiian Names: The Ultimate Guide

Cottagecore Baby Names Turn Back the Clock

Doll Names: The History of Doll Names Through the Decades

Middle Name Trends 2025

Double-Barrel Names: US vs. UK

Granny names

Fairy, Cottagecore, Woodland Names

What would you name five girls today

Sister name needed

Retiring Harper

What would you name twin girls today?

If you had seven girls today what would you name them?

If You Had To Give Your Daughter A Double-Barrel Name, What Would It Be?

Top 25 Girls names of the day (T25 - GNOTD)

Middle name help!

Jane

The name Jane peaked for boys at #1166 in 1946. Jane is also used for girls, ranking #269 in 2024.

The name Jane is a girl's name of English origin meaning "God is gracious".

English Names

English Names for Girls

4 Letter Girl Names

UK Baby Names

UK Girl Names

Names Ending in E for Girls

Names That Mean God

Names That Mean Gracious

One Syllable Names for Girls

Names that Peaked in 1946

Girl Dog Names That Start With J

Dog Names That Start With J

English Names that Start With J

Simple, classic, strong, and versatile, Jane has shrugged off her plain associations to become a short, punchy name with plenty of literary significance. Calling to mind Jane Austen and Jane Eyre, this charming choice is in the Top 300 in the US and The Netherlands, but a currently underused option elsewhere.
 
Ultimately derived from Iohannes and Yoḥanan, Jane is a feminine form of John that began appearing in Medieval England as an adaption of the French Jehanne. It's moved in and out of fashion over the years, competing with Joan, Jean, and Joanna as the ultimate John variant, but Jane is the one that became the generic female moniker (as in, Jane Doe or G.I. Jane).
 
A middle name favorite, because just like with Rose and Mae, it goes well with a lot of names, Jane has also appeared in various smoosh forms over the years, especially in its 20th century heyday, when Maryjane, Bettyjane and Sarajane were also in style. And that's before you consider any of its elaborate forms: Janelle, Janet, Janette, Janelle, Janae, Janey, Janice, Janetta...
 
Alongside its rich literary history, Jane also brings to mind primatologist Jane Goodall, activist and social worker Jane Addams, actress and activist Jane Fonda, and the briefly crowned queen, Lady Jane Grey. Then, there's a whole host of fictional Janes: Jane Bennet, Jane 'Eleven' Hopper, Jane Rizzoli, Miss (Jane) Marple, and Jane Porter. 
 
Definitely one to consider if you want classic, understated, timeless, and simple, Jane was given to 1180 girls in the US in a recent year. You might also be intrigued by some of its variants, including Welsh Sian, Irish Siobhan and Sinead, Spanish Giovana and Janeth, and the Slavic Yana. 
 
Many celebs have selected Jane as a middle name in recent years, with Lily Colins, Pippa Middleton, Jed Wyatt, and Hannah and Jeremiah Duggar among them. TV host Jimmy Kimmel used it as a first name back in 2014.

 Jimmy Kimmel recently named his baby girl Jane.

Old-Fashioned Girl Names

Girl Names Like Caroline

Cool Midcentury Baby Names

Top Middle Names

Preppy Baby Names

Baby Names Headed for Harvard

Royal Names for Girls

Saint Names for Girls

Stylish Girl Names That End in Consonants

Names from Children's Books

Vintage Girl Names

Mad Men Names

Vintage Baby Names

Classic Girl Names 

International Variations of Jane

Victorian Girl Names

Good Girl Names

Classic Baby Names

Baby Girl Names to Love Right Now

Antique Baby Names Back in Style

Popular English Girl Names 

Traditional Baby Names

Rock Star Baby Names

Top 1930s Baby Names 

Top 1940s Baby Names 

Fashionable Classic Baby Names

Girl Names Like Grace

Nameberry's Top Girl Names of the 2010s

Royal Names

Top 1950s Baby Names 

Coolated Girls' Names

Classic Rock Baby Names

Variations of John

Colonial Names for Girls

Catholic Baby Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

March Baby Names

Jane Austen Baby Names  

September Baby Names

Girl Names Like Emily

335+ Colonial Names from the 1700s

Classic Names That Mean God

Girl Names Like Emma

Twilight Names

Confirmation Names for Girls

Victorian Names from the 1800s

Girl Names With Gravity

Old-Fashioned Names

Girl Names Like Charlotte

Western Names

Simple, Sleek, Cool Names

Literary Baby Names

Baby Names That Mean God

Disney Cat Names

Disney Baby Names

Country Baby Names

Dog Names

Country Girl Names

Most Common Names for Girls

One-Syllable Baby Names

Girl Names Like Alice

Middle Names for Baby Girls and Boys

The Most Common Middle Names

Classic Celebrity Baby Names

Literary Dog Names

Disney Dog Names

Middle Names for Girls

Baby Names from Books

Best One Syllable Girl Names

Nerdy Girl Names: Geek Chic Cool

Girl Names Always in the Top 1000

Names That Mean Grace

Cool Cowgirl Names

New York Baby Names

Celebrity Girl Names

Best Girl Names That Mean God

Girl Names Like Eva

Names That Mean Gift from God

Saint Names

English

Nameberry

Future

The name Jane is currently ranked #269 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #35 in 1946. The name is most popular in JANE, JANE, and JANE. Jane is occasionally used for boys in 2003.

Jane

Jane Rank in US Top 1000

The name Jane in Nameberry Blog Posts

The name Jane in Nameberry Forums

More Lists containing Jane

Advanced Search

Advanced Search

Find your type.

The Nameberry App Is Live

The Nameberry App Is Live