Fun Facts About the Name Jane
- A favorite of earlier generations: Jane appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 4 separate runs, totaling 60 years. Its last run lasted 55 consecutive years, from 1911 through 1965.
- More than 380 thousand babies named Jane: U.S. records list 380,999 babies given the name Jane from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,133 boys received the name Jane - about 1 boy for every 335 girls.
What Does the Name Jane Mean?
Jane is an English feminine given name meaning "God is gracious." It is the feminine form of John, developing from Old French Jehanne, the feminine of Jehan (John). That Old French name comes from Latin Johanna (also Ioanna), feminine of Johannes, from Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōanna), feminine of Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs). The Greek name derives from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān), a shortened form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhôḥānān). The Hebrew name combines an element referring to the divine name with a root meaning "to be gracious" or "show favor"; its literal sense is often given as "Yahweh is gracious."
Jane Name History & Origins
Jane belongs to a group of English feminine names derived from John, including Joan. It entered English from Old French Jehanne, the feminine of Jehan. In medieval England the related form Joan was the more common feminine name from this source; Jane emerged as an English variant and was established by the 16th century. It was borne by Jane Seymour (c. 1508 - 1537), third wife of Henry VIII, and by Lady Jane Grey (1537 - 1554), who was briefly queen of England. The name later appeared in the title of Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), a famous literary use that is not the name's origin, and it was the given name of the novelist Jane Austen (1775 - 1817). In legal and medical contexts in the United States, "Jane Doe" is a conventional placeholder for an unidentified woman.
How Popular is the Name Jane?
Jane has a rich multi-era history in the U.S. top 100, spanning 60 total years and enjoying its modern revival from 1911 to 1965.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #221 | 1,380 | 0.0859% |
| 2024 | #269 | 1,180 | 0.0731% |
| 2023 | #281 | 1,114 | 0.0695% |
| 2022 | #290 | 1,089 | 0.0665% |
| 2021 | #266 | 1,172 | 0.0715% |
| 2020 | #264 | 1,169 | 0.0724% |
| 2019 | #277 | 1,188 | 0.0708% |
| 2018 | #290 | 1,133 | 0.0666% |
| 2017 | #282 | 1,157 | 0.0670% |
| 2016 | #279 | 1,135 | 0.0641% |
| 2015 | #290 | 1,112 | 0.0623% |
| 2014 | #322 | 1,026 | 0.0574% |
| 2013 | #356 | 898 | 0.0512% |
| 2012 | #343 | 927 | 0.0526% |
| 2011 | #368 | 868 | 0.0494% |
| 2010 | #385 | 833 | 0.0469% |
| 2009 | #386 | 831 | 0.0452% |
| 2008 | #389 | 826 | 0.0437% |
| 2007 | #424 | 775 | 0.0403% |
| 2006 | #477 | 665 | 0.0350% |
| 2005 | #472 | 651 | 0.0352% |
| 2004 | #459 | 657 | 0.0358% |
| 2003 | #427 | 704 | 0.0385% |
| 2002 | #417 | 696 | 0.0387% |
| 2001 | #423 | 671 | 0.0373% |
| 2000 | #437 | 647 | 0.0356% |
| 1999 | #438 | 618 | 0.0348% |
| 1998 | #415 | 638 | 0.0361% |
| 1997 | #404 | 648 | 0.0372% |
| 1996 | #407 | 639 | 0.0365% |
| 1995 | #419 | 618 | 0.0351% |
| 1994 | #369 | 706 | 0.0395% |
| 1993 | #368 | 691 | 0.0382% |
| 1992 | #395 | 652 | 0.0354% |
| 1991 | #363 | 709 | 0.0378% |
| 1990 | #346 | 773 | 0.0407% |
| 1989 | #325 | 779 | 0.0423% |
| 1988 | #340 | 723 | 0.0406% |
| 1987 | #357 | 668 | 0.0384% |
| 1986 | #356 | 669 | 0.0390% |
| 1985 | #335 | 710 | 0.0413% |
| 1984 | #323 | 725 | 0.0431% |
| 1983 | #298 | 783 | 0.0469% |
| 1982 | #290 | 844 | 0.0498% |
| 1981 | #314 | 762 | 0.0457% |
| 1980 | #312 | 775 | 0.0467% |
| 1979 | #325 | 720 | 0.0449% |
| 1978 | #328 | 699 | 0.0456% |
| 1977 | #318 | 744 | 0.0485% |
| 1976 | #320 | 697 | 0.0476% |
| 1975 | #300 | 782 | 0.0536% |
| 1974 | #288 | 827 | 0.0564% |
| 1973 | #261 | 957 | 0.0656% |
| 1972 | #238 | 1,161 | 0.0763% |
| 1971 | #232 | 1,296 | 0.0779% |
| 1970 | #202 | 1,601 | 0.0916% |
| 1969 | #170 | 1,880 | 0.1114% |
| 1968 | #146 | 2,192 | 0.1336% |
| 1967 | #127 | 2,728 | 0.1652% |
| 1966 | #111 | 3,213 | 0.1899% |
| 1965 | #95 | 3,927 | 0.2225% |
| 1964 | #93 | 4,568 | 0.2411% |
| 1963 | #75 | 5,764 | 0.2991% |
| 1962 | #73 | 6,116 | 0.3110% |
| 1961 | #72 | 6,362 | 0.3152% |
| 1960 | #67 | 6,588 | 0.3258% |
| 1959 | #67 | 6,863 | 0.3392% |
| 1958 | #61 | 7,198 | 0.3578% |
| 1957 | #56 | 7,788 | 0.3809% |
| 1956 | #50 | 8,241 | 0.4105% |
| 1955 | #50 | 8,344 | 0.4267% |
| 1954 | #49 | 8,344 | 0.4297% |
| 1953 | #43 | 8,913 | 0.4738% |
| 1952 | #42 | 9,322 | 0.5027% |
| 1951 | #43 | 8,942 | 0.4965% |
| 1950 | #39 | 8,964 | 0.5233% |
| 1949 | #41 | 8,719 | 0.5096% |
| 1948 | #39 | 8,781 | 0.5172% |
| 1947 | #36 | 9,942 | 0.5608% |
| 1946 | #35 | 8,971 | 0.5709% |
| 1945 | #36 | 7,639 | 0.5844% |
| 1944 | #41 | 6,564 | 0.4946% |
| 1943 | #44 | 6,032 | 0.4323% |
| 1942 | #46 | 5,708 | 0.4226% |
| 1941 | #46 | 5,089 | 0.4212% |
| 1940 | #47 | 5,092 | 0.4453% |
| 1939 | #46 | 4,771 | 0.4351% |
| 1938 | #44 | 4,786 | 0.4337% |
| 1937 | #42 | 4,702 | 0.4419% |
| 1936 | #42 | 4,719 | 0.4536% |
| 1935 | #43 | 4,646 | 0.4431% |
| 1934 | #48 | 4,358 | 0.4173% |
| 1933 | #47 | 4,377 | 0.4343% |
| 1932 | #49 | 4,348 | 0.4074% |
| 1931 | #50 | 4,532 | 0.4257% |
| 1930 | #55 | 4,575 | 0.4063% |
| 1929 | #62 | 4,353 | 0.3899% |
| 1928 | #62 | 4,411 | 0.3825% |
| 1927 | #60 | 4,695 | 0.3937% |
| 1926 | #56 | 4,641 | 0.3915% |
| 1925 | #53 | 4,881 | 0.4009% |
| 1924 | #53 | 5,104 | 0.4087% |
| 1923 | #55 | 4,917 | 0.4076% |
| 1922 | #55 | 4,805 | 0.4001% |
| 1921 | #47 | 5,188 | 0.4207% |
| 1920 | #48 | 5,054 | 0.4218% |
| 1919 | #53 | 4,527 | 0.4006% |
| 1918 | #53 | 4,730 | 0.4086% |
| 1917 | #55 | 4,258 | 0.3938% |
| 1916 | #62 | 3,826 | 0.3664% |
| 1915 | #69 | 3,264 | 0.3318% |
| 1914 | #71 | 2,340 | 0.3073% |
| 1913 | #81 | 1,759 | 0.2816% |
| 1912 | #89 | 1,390 | 0.2491% |
| 1911 | #98 | 937 | 0.2240% |
| 1910 | #116 | 709 | 0.1788% |
| 1909 | #116 | 626 | 0.1803% |
| 1908 | #130 | 531 | 0.1588% |
| 1907 | #124 | 526 | 0.1651% |
| 1906 | #140 | 438 | 0.1483% |
| 1905 | #151 | 393 | 0.1348% |
| 1904 | #142 | 395 | 0.1434% |
| 1903 | #143 | 381 | 0.1454% |
| 1902 | #142 | 388 | 0.1469% |
| 1901 | #150 | 325 | 0.1358% |
| 1900 | #128 | 495 | 0.1651% |
| 1899 | #128 | 382 | 0.1639% |
| 1898 | #130 | 406 | 0.1569% |
| 1897 | #125 | 396 | 0.1691% |
| 1896 | #115 | 413 | 0.1736% |
| 1895 | #119 | 394 | 0.1686% |
| 1894 | #120 | 390 | 0.1749% |
| 1893 | #123 | 354 | 0.1663% |
| 1892 | #113 | 396 | 0.1865% |
| 1891 | #102 | 379 | 0.2043% |
| 1890 | #108 | 372 | 0.1954% |
| 1889 | #103 | 374 | 0.2097% |
| 1888 | #92 | 446 | 0.2497% |
| 1887 | #107 | 288 | 0.1973% |
| 1886 | #105 | 306 | 0.2117% |
| 1885 | #91 | 330 | 0.2480% |
| 1884 | #98 | 295 | 0.2286% |
| 1883 | #102 | 247 | 0.2199% |
| 1882 | #101 | 254 | 0.2355% |
| 1881 | #99 | 216 | 0.2349% |
| 1880 | #98 | 215 | 0.2363% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | #11,652 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,997 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #5,699 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #6,078 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,873 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #6,051 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #6,447 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #4,269 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #4,476 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #5,896 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #5,794 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #6,780 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #5,165 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #6,470 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #4,352 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #5,978 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #5,838 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #3,994 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #5,428 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #4,676 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,634 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,675 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,221 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #2,678 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,099 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #2,031 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1964 | #3,432 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #2,603 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #2,434 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #1,909 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1960 | #1,880 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1959 | #2,067 | 16 | 0.0007% |
| 1958 | #1,751 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1957 | #1,988 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1956 | #2,707 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #1,931 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #1,856 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1953 | #1,690 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1952 | #1,971 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1951 | #1,704 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1950 | #1,678 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1949 | #1,730 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1948 | #1,680 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #1,817 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #1,166 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 1945 | #1,658 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #1,604 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1943 | #1,608 | 20 | 0.0014% |
| 1942 | #1,445 | 24 | 0.0017% |
| 1941 | #1,351 | 25 | 0.0020% |
| 1940 | #1,265 | 29 | 0.0025% |
| 1939 | #1,341 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1938 | #1,324 | 26 | 0.0023% |
| 1937 | #1,505 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1936 | #1,307 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1935 | #1,684 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1934 | #1,698 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1933 | #1,678 | 18 | 0.0018% |
| 1932 | #1,749 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1931 | #1,611 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1930 | #1,625 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1929 | #1,704 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1928 | #1,672 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1927 | #1,453 | 27 | 0.0024% |
| 1926 | #1,631 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1925 | #1,557 | 24 | 0.0022% |
| 1924 | #2,003 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1923 | #2,695 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #1,926 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1921 | #2,553 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #3,075 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #1,927 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1918 | #2,785 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1917 | #2,233 | 13 | 0.0014% |
| 1916 | #3,685 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1915 | #1,924 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #2,377 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1910 | #1,504 | 6 | 0.0031% |
| 1908 | #1,502 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1907 | #1,447 | 5 | 0.0034% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
