Given name & surname · also Low German
Jan
“God is gracious”
In English use, Jan is a diminutive of Jane. In Hebrew use, Jane carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Slavic use, Jan carries the interpretation “God is gracious.” In English use, Jan is a diminutive of Jane. In Hebrew use, Jane carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Low German.
How it developed
Jan is used as a form of John. In Swedish use, Jan shares an earlier linguistic root with John. The shared background comes through John: Greek Iōannēs represents a contracted form of Johanan; Latin used Johannes, and English developed John. The different language forms preserve the name family without all sharing the same spelling or pronunciation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1902. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Jan is a short form of Janice. The history of Janice gives this family its wider story. The heroine of Paul Leicester Ford’s 1899 novel Janice Meredith appears to be an early bearer. The added -ice ending connects its formation with names such as Candice and Bernice. In English use, Jan is a diminutive of Jane. The history of Jane gives this family its wider story. Lady Jane Grey is one of the name’s historical bearers. In fiction, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre gave it a lasting nineteenth-century association; the novel appeared in 1847.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Jan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 76,934
- 22,403 boys · 54,531 girls
- Most popular year
- 1954
- 3,761 babies
- 2025
- 52
- #2,731 for boys · #15,898 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 96% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 47 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,731 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 11.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 768 in 1954. It also appeared in 5 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 81,839 as a first name in 2020; 2,544 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jan’s family of names
In English usage, Jan is a diminutive of Janet. Jan is a feminine form of John. In Swedish usage, Jan has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Juan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jan has relatives in 70 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Slavic roots to each of them.
162 related names in 70 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 56
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Jackdiminutive · English
- Johnvariant · Tagalog, ceb
- Janefull form · English
- Jeanvariant · Limburgish, French
- Johannvariant · German, übersetzungen umleiten
- Janicefull form · English
- Janetfull form · English
- Johannesvariant · German, Norwegian Bokmål
Show 48 moreShow fewer
- Jensvariant · Faroese, Danish
- Yannvariant · German, Breton
- Janniediminutive · Afrikaans
- Januaryvariant
- Jannikvariant · German, Danish
- Jaanvariant · German, Estonian
- Jandapet form · English
- Jannvariant · Norwegian Bokmål, German
- Jankodiminutive · Polish, Low German
- Jahnvariant · Norwegian Bokmål, German
- Janespet form · English
- Jannediminutive · Swedish, Norwegian Bokmål
- Janekdiminutive · Polish, zlw-ocs
- Janakvariant
- Jonamvariant
- Janosvariant
- Januszpet form · Polish
- Јанvariant · Macedonian
- Янvariant · Belarusian, Ukrainian
- Honzíčekdiminutive · Czech
- Jasiekdiminutive · Polish
- Jeníčekdiminutive · Czech
- Jantjediminutive · Dutch
- Jasioclipped form · Polish
- Janíkdiminutive · zlw-ocs
- Jěšíkdiminutive · zlw-ocs
- Jěníkdiminutive · zlw-ocs
- Jěnekdiminutive · zlw-ocs
- Jěnecdiminutive · zlw-ocs
- Janeczekdiminutive · Polish
- Jendadiminutive · Czech
- Janjandiminutive · ceb
- Jankepet form · English, Low German
- Jaśclipped form · Polish
- Jéňadiminutive · Czech
- Honzíkdiminutive · Czech
- Honzadiminutive · Czech
- Jenkinpet form · English
- Jähnvariant · German
- Janovariant · Czech
- Jan.variant · English
- Jaśkodiminutive · Polish
- Jánvariant · zlw-ocs, Czech
- Sjengvariant · Limburgish
- Jónvariant · Limburgish, csb
- Jeníkdiminutive · Czech
- Janečekdiminutive · Czech
- Janikpet form
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 138
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- IanScottish Gaelic
- GiovanniItalian
- EvanWelsh, Danish
- JuanSpanish
- Ivanalso known as · Czech, Croatian
- GianniItalian
- Johnnyequivalent
- Seanequivalent
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Johanalso known as · Swedish, Dutch
- JonasLithuanian
- Jessiedoublet · English
- Joansee also · Catalan, Basque
- Jennadoublet · English
- Janelledoublet · English
- Jondoublet · Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian Bokmål
- GianItalian
- Janafeminine form · Czech, Slovene
- Hansdoublet · Norwegian Bokmål, German
- Jennydoublet · English
- Joaoequivalent
- Giannisequivalent
- Ivankadoublet · English
- Jovansr-Latn
- KeoniHawaiian
- Jeanettedoublet · English
- Joaniedoublet · English
- Juanitadoublet · English
- Yanequivalent
- Vannadoublet · English
- Jodydoublet · English
- EoinIrish
- Janeydoublet · English
- Jodoublet · English, German
- Yannisequivalent
- Ioannisequivalent
- Joonwym
- Yanniequivalent
- Yiannisequivalent
- Jeannettedoublet · English
- Janinedoublet · English
- Jeaniedoublet · English
- Janiderivative · Finnish
- IonRomanian
- Yvanequivalent
- Janinahas masculine form
- Ivoequivalent
- Ioanetvl
- Sineaddoublet · English
- IvenDanish
- Jeanninedoublet · English
- Giovanequivalent
- ShonHebrew
- Jhanequivalent
- EvenDanish
- Shanaedoublet · English
- Jehanroot · Old French
- IoanWelsh
- Iwanequivalent
- Jennettpatronymic from · English
- Jenningpatronymic from · English
And 78 more.
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jan
- Jan HusCzech theologian, philosopher and preacher (1369-1415)1370–1415
- John Amos ComeniusCzech teacher, educator, philosopher and writer (1592-1670)
- Jan van EyckFlemish painter (c.1390–1441)
- John III SobieskiKing of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1629–1696)
- Jan Peter BalkenendePrime Minister of the Netherlands from 2002 to 2010born 1956
- Jan TinbergenDutch economist (1903–1994)
- Jan NerudaCzech poet, theater reviewer, publicist, journalist and writer (1834-1891)
- Jan PalachCzech student who killed himself by self-immolation in protest (1948–1969)
- Jan MatejkoPolish painter (1838–1893)
Characters named Jan: Jan Skrzetuski (fictional character), Jan Dodonna (the Star Wars universe).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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If you love Jan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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