Given name & surname
Janus
“the Roman god Janus”
Janus is a masculine given name from Latin, meaning “the Roman god Janus.” It is used in English, Polish, Danish, and Faroese.
Original LatinIanus
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
The story
In mythological stories, Janus is associated with the god of gateways and beginnings.
Janus through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 168
- 41 boys · 127 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 16 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2019. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 6 in 1997. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 511 as a first name in 2020; 1,906 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.
Janus’s family of names
In German usage, Janus has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Janusz. Janus has a related form in Janusz. Janus has a related form in Jenaro.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Janus has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Latinwhere Janus comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Janus
- Janus FriisDanish entrepreneurborn 1976
- Janus TheeuwesDutch archer (1886-1975)
- Janus DjurhuusFaroese poet1881–1948
- Janus Metz PedersenDanish filmmakerborn 1974
- Janus CornariusGerman physician and philologist (c.1500–1558)
- Janus Henricus Donker CurtiusDutch diplomat (1813–1879)
- Janus KambanFaroese sculptor (1913-2009)
- Janus Hellemonscyclist (1912–1999)
- Janus RobbertsSouth African shot putter and discus throwerborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Janus, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Diane
Diane is used as a given name and a surname. Diane is connected with Diana.
>99% girls
Dianna
Dianna is a feminine given name from Latin.
>99% girls
Dianne
Dianne is a feminine given name from Latin.
>99% girls
Cindey
>99% girls
Valda
“spirited in battle” · “famous ruler”
>99% girls
Cindee
>99% girls
Danaé
Danaé is a feminine given name from Latin. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Venus
“love”
1% boys · 99% girls