Jean Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Jean originates from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning 'Yahweh is gracious.' It evolved through Latin and Old French into its current form. Throughout history, it has been associated with significant figures in religion and culture, contributing to its enduring popularity. The name is primarily seen as a symbol of grace, with no direct biblical relevance, and has variants in many languages.
The name Jean is most popular in Massachusetts, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Girl name among the Silent Generation generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Jean has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, too falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Jean' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 379th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 411th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 612th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 544th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 572nd out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 779th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 1232nd out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 34th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 24th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 64th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 189th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 601st out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2106th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 2442nd out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Jean' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Jean"
Pronunciation
/ʒɑ̃/
Origin
French
Etymology
The name Jean is derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning 'Yahweh is gracious.' It was adopted into Latin as Johannes and has evolved into various forms across different languages.
Meaning
God is gracious
Language Evolution
Yochanan (Hebrew), Johannes (Latin), Ioannis (Greek), Jean (Old French)
Historical Usage
The name Jean gained popularity in France during the Middle Ages, largely due to the veneration of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist.
Variants & Derivatives
John, Juan, Giovanni, Johann, Jeanne (feminine)
Modern Popularity & Image
Jean is a common name in French-speaking countries and is often associated with elegance and classicism. It has a timeless quality and is frequently used in various cultural contexts.
Famous People
Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean Cocteau, Jean-Claude Van Damme
Explore More Jean Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Jean"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Jean"
"Jean" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 379th of 7545 | 3,960 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 411th of 6773 | 3,615 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 612th of 7552 | 2,894 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 544th of 10718 | 3,516 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 572nd of 16616 | 4,687 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 779th of 24088 | 3,973 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 1232nd of 23106 | 1,859 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 34th of 9107 | 126,667 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 24th of 9204 | 165,598 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 64th of 12526 | 129,756 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 189th of 19264 | 24,526 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 601st of 27321 | 5,628 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 2106th of 35406 | 1,412 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 2442nd of 30306 | 894 |
Regional Popularity of "Jean" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
21.12% 299th/1416 |
20.81% 287th/1379 |
24.60% 582nd/2366 |
27.85% 318th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
24.90% 385th/1546 |
15.49% 241st/1556 |
26.52% 624th/2353 |
25.79% 399th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
33.54% 747th/2227 |
14.77% 359th/2430 |
29.76% 849th/2853 |
21.01% 583rd/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
24.99% 734th/2937 |
8.70% 303rd/3483 |
19.27% 678th/3518 |
14.37% 581st/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
28.33% 1044th/3685 |
6.91% 309th/4475 |
11.40% 592nd/5194 |
11.22% 709th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
44.04% 2018th/4582 |
8.38% 433rd/5164 |
10.09% 738th/7313 |
13.92% 1039th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
56.00% 2231st/3984 |
16.40% 736th/4487 |
16.40% 1119th/6822 |
27.92% 1752nd/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Jean" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
1.34% 19th/1416 |
1.60% 22nd/1379 |
3.72% 88th/2366 |
1.40% 16th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
1.75% 27th/1546 |
0.77% 12th/1556 |
1.44% 34th/2353 |
1.94% 30th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
2.11% 47th/2227 |
1.60% 39th/2430 |
3.58% 102nd/2853 |
3.32% 92nd/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
5.41% 159th/2937 |
3.56% 124th/3483 |
8.27% 291st/3518 |
7.15% 289th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
14.65% 540th/3685 |
10.41% 466th/4475 |
13.53% 703rd/5194 |
11.90% 752nd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
65.47% 3000th/4582 |
29.28% 1512th/5164 |
34.08% 2492nd/7313 |
28.80% 2149th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
79.92% 3184th/3984 |
51.53% 2312th/4487 |
45.28% 3089th/6822 |
32.12% 2016th/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Jean"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Jean" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.