Jan
MeaningGod is gracious · Dutch form of John
- US rank
- #2,718
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #247 in 1944
47 babies were named Jan in the US in 2025. It has dropped 672 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1911–2025
US births per million boys, 1902–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Jan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Jan
Jan Neruda
Czech poet, theater reviewer, publicist, journalist and writer (1834-1891)
Choose Jan and your child shares a first name with Jan Neruda, a Czech poet, theater reviewer, publicist, journalist and writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Jan, like who?” Jan Neruda's Wikipedia article is available in 66 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Jan Neruda on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Jan Vilímek (1860–1938), Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 36,364 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Jan, 47 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Jan would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryJan first shows up in US birth records in 1902, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 123 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1944, when it ranked #247. Today it's #2,718, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowJan was 3.6× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 10,225 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 36,364.
- TrendJan has slipped 672 places over the last five years and now sits at #2,718. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningJan is a Dutch form of John, which means “God is gracious”. Our records link it to English and Hebrew roots.
About the name Jan
Jan is a boy name of English and Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with J and ending in “-jan”. US birth records list Jan for boys from 1902 to 2025, in 118 of those 124 years. Its best year was 1944, when it ranked #247 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,718, with 47 babies.
Origin:English namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 14 | 69,930 girls |
| 1920s | 27 | 36,697 girls |
| 1930s | 167 | 5,971 girls |
| 1940s | 576 | 1,735 girls |
| 1950s | 1,354 | 738 girls |
| 1960s | 681 | 1,468 girls |
| 1970s | 199 | 5,026 girls |
| 1980s | 66 | 15,072 girls |
| 1990s | 13 | 79,177 girls |
| 2000s | 4.8 | 210,526 girls |
| 2010s | 2.6 | 390,625 girls |
| 2020s | 1.5 | 652,174 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 14 | 69,565 boys |
| 1910s | 25 | 40,733 boys |
| 1920s | 21 | 48,426 boys |
| 1930s | 159 | 6,286 boys |
| 1940s | 359 | 2,783 boys |
| 1950s | 286 | 3,494 boys |
| 1960s | 123 | 8,149 boys |
| 1970s | 77 | 12,957 boys |
| 1980s | 65 | 15,425 boys |
| 1990s | 51 | 19,608 boys |
| 2000s | 103 | 9,716 boys |
| 2010s | 49 | 20,288 boys |
| 2020s | 37 | 27,223 boys |
Other spellings of Jan
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Jan
What does the name Jan mean?
Jan means “God is gracious” in Dutch, as a form of John.
What is the origin of the name Jan?
Jan has English, Hebrew roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Jan a boy or girl name?
Jan is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Jan?
Jan ranked #2,718 for US boys in 2025, given to 47 babies. Its best year was 1944 (#247).