The nameJane

Meaning

Jane comes from Jehane, Old French feminine of Jehan, John, from the Hebrew Yohanan, "God is gracious".

Origin

Hebrew, through Old French. Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, and Lady Jane Grey bore it.

History

Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre made it a literary name. It reached the American top 40. Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees, is a famous bearer.

Famous people named Jane

• Jane Austen, novelist
• Jane Goodall, primatologist
• Jane Fonda, actress
• Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë's heroine

Popularity of the name Jane

Jane in the United States

Jane was most popular in the United States in the 1950s, with 83,095 births over the decade, 22% of all recorded babies named Jane. Its rise began around 1912, and it peaked in 1947. Half of all babies named Jane in the United States were born before 1948, so it is mostly a grandparents' generation name. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 1,145 births a year.

Jane in the United Kingdom

Jane was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, with 705 births over the decade, 42% of all recorded babies named Jane. Half of all babies named Jane in the United Kingdom were born before 2005, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 33 births a year.

Jane in Ireland

Jane in France

Jane in Norway