Girls Names Beginning With J

Justine is a French name that's never reached the popularity we think it deserves. Like its far-more-common brother Justin, Justine is sleek, and sophisticated, but still user-friendly.

A Top 100 name from the 1930s all the way through the 1950s, it's now firmly in Mom -- or Grandma -- land and supplanted for babies by Joanna.....or even great-grandmother Josephine. In its heyday, it had a host of variations, including JoAnn and Jo-Anne.

Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.

Not quite as unusual as it might seem, it first entered the popularity list in 1995, as a possible alternative to the very popular Kayla. In the Bible, an alternate spelling is Jaala.

One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey for one of her twin boys, as did the Black Eyed Peas rock musician known as Taboo.

The name Jo still evokes the spunky image of the character in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Its literary status makes Jo one of the OG boyish nicknames for girls, ala Frankie, Billie, and Stevie. If you like that form, you can lengthen it to Joey.

A cute nickname, but June is a much better bet for the birth certificate.

Juna, a variation of the newly stylish month name June, goddess name Juno, or literary Djuna, is among the fresher-feeling girl names starting with J. While Juna has never been given to more than 50 baby girls per year in the US, it's a popular choice in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Justice is a fashionable word name, used for both girls and boys. Justice has the distinction of being a virtue name without the religious implications of Faith or Grace. It still feels more male than female, perhaps partly due to the classic Roman name Justus, but Justice has become a more common pick for girls in recent years.

Josephina is a feminine form of Joseph, ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning 'God will add' or 'God will increase.' This elegant variation combines the biblical gravitas of Joseph with a distinctly feminine ending. Popular in Spanish-speaking countries as Josefina, the Josephina spelling is less common but maintains the same melodic quality. The name offers versatile nickname options including Jo, Josie, Fina, or Phina. While not ranking among top names in the US or UK, Josephina appeals to parents seeking a traditional yet distinctive name with religious roots and cross-cultural appeal.

One of the group of French 'ette'-ending names that emigrated to this country in the last century, though never as popular as some others, such as Claudette and Paulette--it did have a little six-year flurry here between 1967 and 1973. Josette may be feminine and flirty, but, given the choice, most parents today would prefer Josephine.

This once obscure name was propelled to fame by Britney Spears, and by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith in the 2000's. It skyrocketed into the US Top 10 for boys, but it also saw significant use for girls.

Has lost all trace of its French accent.

This name of a Buddhist goddess, a possible alternative to the trendy Maya, was chosen for their daughter by Laura Dern and Ben Harper. Jaya is simple yet unusual, a winning combination, and one of the out-of-the-box goddess names as well as one of the most easily translated Hindi names for girls.

Fine in France, but here it means vegetables sliced into thin strips.

Relic of a past period of French favorites, out to pasture with Claudette and Paulette.

A feminization used more before Jordan joined the girls' camp.

Jacinta, the Spanish word for hyacinth, is a lot softer and sweeter than the English version. The correct Spanish pronunciation is ha-SEEN-ta, though many English speakers would say ja-SIN-ta. Although the name is slightly different, Jacinta is largely associated at present with Australian-born actress Jacinda Barrett.

While Jay has been long used as a stand-alone boy name, it has more recently been used as one for girls. Otherwise, it has largely been seen as a pet form of any J name, or as a singular middle name.

Judi is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Judith, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'woman from Judea' or 'praised.' This shorter variation gained particular popularity in the mid-20th century as a more modern alternative to the traditional Judith. The name received significant visibility through acclaimed British actress Dame Judi Dench, whose distinguished career helped maintain the name's association with elegance and talent. Judi peaked in popularity in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s, reflecting the era's preference for friendly, accessible shortened names. Though less common among newborns today, Judi maintains an image of warmth and approachability. The name's straightforward pronunciation and spelling, combined with its rich historical roots, make it simultaneously unpretentious and meaningful.