Jean

♀ Girl

Pronounced JEEN /dʒiːn/High

Meaning: God is graciousHigh

In 30 seconds: Jean is the Scottish form of Jane meaning God is gracious. A classic one-syllable name with quiet dignity and strong Scottish heritage, beloved through the 20th century.

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Origin HighHebrew, Scottish

MeaningGod is gracious

U.S. rank (2025)#2130 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births88 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1927

Total births (all-time)≈ 458,438

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jean is the French and Scottish form of Jane, from the Hebrew Yochanan meaning God is gracious. It entered English from the French Jeanne.

Jean was extremely popular in English-speaking countries from the 1920s through the 1960s and retains a dignified vintage quality.

Did you know? Jean Brodie, the fictional Scottish schoolteacher in Muriel Spark's 1961 novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, made this name synonymous with unconventional charisma.

Overall data confidence 92%

Hanks & Hodges, Dictionary of First Names — reference for JeanBehind the Name: Jean — name etymology reference

Variations

JaneJoanJeanneJeanette

Nicknames

Jeanie

Famous Bearers

★Jean Harlow (1911–1937)
Jean Harlow, American actress and 1930s sex symbol known as the original platinum-blonde 'Blonde Bombshell'.

If you like Jean…

Jane— the English equivalent of the same name

Joan— similar mid-century one-syllable J- classic

June— similar mid-century J- classic

Ann— similar short dignified vintage classic

Eve— similar short dignified vintage classic

Explore names like Jean

By themehebrew classic vintage scottish one-syllable

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Jean mean?

Jean means God is gracious, as the Scottish and French form of Jane, from the Hebrew Yochanan.

How do you pronounce Jean?

Jean is pronounced JEEN (/dʒiːn/), with one syllable.

Is Jean a girl's name?

Yes, Jean is used primarily as a feminine name in English-speaking and Scottish contexts.

How popular is the name Jean?

Jean was very popular from the 1920s to the 1960s and retains a dignified vintage quality today.