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Jane (given name)

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Jane
Lady Jane Grey is one famous Jane.
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/nameHebrew, Greek, Latin, French, English
Meaning"Yahweh is gracious"
Region of originWorldwide
Other names
Nickname(s)Janie, Jenny
Related namesJohn, Joanna, Joan
Popularitysee popular names

Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of the Old French name Jehanne, which was an old feminine form of the male name Johannes or Ioannes, a Latin form of the Greek name Ιωαννης or Ioannes, which is derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן or Yochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious."[1]

The name was first used in large numbers in the mid-sixteenth century for the daughters of aristocrats as an alternative to the more commonplace Joan. The two names have alternated popularity. In the early nineteenth century, Jane was again seen as a name with a certain amount of glamour. Joan became more popular in the early to mid-twentieth century, when it was ranked in the top 500 most popular names given to girls in the United States, but the name has again been displaced by Jane on the popularity charts in the twenty-first century.

Jane was the name of a number of queens and saints and historical figures. The following "Janes" were of historical or literary importance:

Name variants

Alternate forms include:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Behind the Name
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