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Jan
Pronounced JAN /ΛdΚΓ¦n/Medium
Meaning: As a girl's name, a short form of Janet/Janice/Jane (from John, 'God is gracious'); separately Jan is a Dutch/Slavic form of John, usually a boy's name there. Both routes given.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
As a girl's name Jan shortens Janet/Janice/Jane (from John, 'God is gracious'); as a Dutch or Slavic name Jan is a form of John, usually a boy's name there. Both routes given - a crisp, vintage name, rare today in the U.S. (said 'JAN').
It appears rarely now, a mid-century-flavored short name. Rare, vintage, and tidy.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Jan mean?
For girls Jan is a short form of Janet/Janice/Jane (from John, 'God is gracious'); it's also a Dutch form of John, usually a boy's name there.
How do you pronounce Jan?
It's said JAN /ΛdΚΓ¦n/ - one syllable.
Is Jan a boy or girl name?
Here Jan is a girl's name; note it is also a Dutch/Slavic boy's name (a form of John).
How popular is Jan?
Jan is a rare name for girls in the U.S. today.