Janet
“God is gracious”
English origin · Girl name
#2791US 2025
61Births / yr
↓Falling
558kAll-time births
📅 Since 1880🏆 43 years in top 1000.89% of births at peak
How to pronounce Janet
JAN·ut
/ˈdʒæn.ət/ · stress on JAN · 2 syllables
“God is gracious”
English origin · Girl name
What does Janet mean and where does it come from?
Janet is a diminutive of the name Jane, which has Hebrew roots meaning 'God is gracious' (יְהוָה חָנָן). The name gained popularity in Scotland during the Middle Ages and has been widely used in English-speaking countries. Notable figures include Janet Reno, the first female Attorney General of the
Cultural significance
Janet has been a cherished name across cultures, particularly in English-speaking communities, where it reflects values of god is gracious.
Peak popularity
Reached #16 in 1938 — currently #2791 in the US.
How popular is Janet right now?
Falling — down 343 spots — currently #2791 in the US out of 135.5k tracked names
The story of Janet
Janet has been a beloved American name for over 144 years, first appearing in Social Security records in 1880. Its peak popularity was #16 in 1938. Over 558K babies have been given this name — a true American classic. Once ranked #299 in 1880, the name has become less common in recent years, sitting at #1946 in 2023. Janet is used for both genders: 100% female and 0% male.
Names that peaked alongside Janet in 1938:
Janet by decade
Janet peaked in the 1930s. See all 1930s names →
| Decade | Births | |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 461 | |
| 1890s | 898 | |
| 1900s | 1,541 | |
| 1910s | 10,724 | |
| 1920s | 24,023 | |
| 1930s | 76,307 | |
| 1940s | 131,085 | |
| 1950s ★ | 167,818 | |
| 1960s | 89,550 | |
| 1970s | 24,549 | |
| 1980s | 13,670 | |
| 1990s | 9,703 | |
| 2000s | 5,500 | |
| 2010s | 1,899 | |
| 2020s | 225 |
What are good nicknames for Janet?
CROATIAN
Nina
CZECH
IvkaNina
DANISH
JannickeJannikeNina
DUTCH
Nina
How is Janet written in other languages?
What are the boy versions of Janet?
Deshaun AFRICAN AMERICANDeshawn AFRICAN AMERICANKeshaun AFRICAN AMERICANKeshawn AFRICAN AMERICANRashaun AFRICAN AMERICANRashawn AFRICAN AMERICANGjon ALBANIANYahya ARABICYuhanna ARABICHovhannes ARMENIANHovik ARMENIANHovo ARMENIANOhannes ARMENIANGanix BASQUEIon BASQUEJon BASQUEIvan BELARUSIANYan BELARUSIANIoannes BIBLICAL GREEKYehochanan BIBLICAL HEBREWYochanan BIBLICAL HEBREWIohannes BIBLICAL LATINJehohanan BIBLICALJohanan BIBLICALJohn BIBLICALYanick BRETONYann BRETONYannic BRETONYannick BRETONIoan BULGARIANIvan BULGARIANIvo BULGARIANYanko BULGARIANYoan BULGARIANJan CATALANJoan CATALANJowan CORNISHGhjuvan CORSICANIvan CROATIANIvica CROATIANIvo CROATIANJanko CROATIANVanja CROATIANHonza CZECHIvan CZECHJan CZECHJanek CZECHHans DANISHJan DANISHJannick DANISHJannik DANISHJens DANISHJohan DANISHJohannes DANISHJon DANISHHanke DUTCHHanne DUTCHHannes DUTCHHans DUTCHJan DUTCHJo DUTCHJohan DUTCHJohannes DUTCHJoop DUTCHEvan ENGLISHHank ENGLISHIan ENGLISHIvan ENGLISHJack ENGLISHJackie ENGLISHJake ENGLISHJohn ENGLISHJohnie ENGLISHJohnnie ENGLISHJohnny ENGLISHJon ENGLISHSean ENGLISHShane ENGLISHShaun ENGLISHShawn ENGLISHShayne ENGLISHVan ENGLISHJoĉjo ESPERANTOJohano ESPERANTOJaan ESTONIANJohannes ESTONIANJuhan ESTONIANJóannes FAROESEJóhannes FAROESEJón FAROESEHannes FINNISHHannu FINNISHJani FINNISHJanne FINNISHJohannes FINNISHJoni FINNISHJouni FINNISHJuha FINNISHJuhana FINNISHJuhani FINNISHJuho FINNISHJukka FINNISHJussi FINNISHJean FRENCHJeannot FRENCHYanick FRENCHYann FRENCHYannic FRENCHYannick FRENCHXoán GALICIANIoane GEORGIANIvane GEORGIANVano GEORGIANHannes GERMANHans GERMANJan GERMANJo GERMANJohann GERMANJohannes GERMANGianni GREEKGiannis GREEKIoannis GREEKYanni GREEKYannis GREEKYianni GREEKYiannis GREEKKeoni HAWAIIANYochanan HEBREWIván HUNGARIANJancsi HUNGARIANJani HUNGARIANJános HUNGARIANJóhann ICELANDICJóhannes ICELANDICJón ICELANDICYohanes INDONESIANEoin IRISHSeán IRISHSean IRISHShane IRISHGian ITALIANGianni ITALIANGiannino ITALIANGiovanni ITALIANIvan ITALIANIvano ITALIANNino ITALIANVanni ITALIANJoannes LATE ROMANJohannes LATE ROMANJānis LATVIANSjang LIMBURGISHSjeng LIMBURGISHJonas LITHUANIANIvan MACEDONIANIvo MACEDONIANJovan MACEDONIANEan MANXJuan MANXHankin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHHann MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJackin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJan MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJankin MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJon MEDIEVAL ENGLISHJehan MEDIEVAL FRENCHZuan MEDIEVAL ITALIANHans NORWEGIANJan NORWEGIANJens NORWEGIANJohan NORWEGIANJohannes NORWEGIANJon NORWEGIANJone NORWEGIANJoan OCCITANIoannu OLD CHURCH SLAVICYahya PERSIANIwan POLISHJan POLISHJanek POLISHJanusz POLISHJoão PORTUGUESEJoãozinho PORTUGUESEIancu ROMANIANIoan ROMANIANIon ROMANIANIonel ROMANIANIonuț ROMANIANNelu ROMANIANIoann RUSSIANIvan RUSSIANVanya RUSSIANJuhán SAMIGiuanne SARDINIANJuanne SARDINIANEoin SCOTTISHIain SCOTTISHIan SCOTTISHJock SCOTTISHJockie SCOTTISHJocky SCOTTISHSeoc SCOTTISHIvan SERBIANIvica SERBIANIvo SERBIANJanko SERBIANJovan SERBIANVanja SERBIANIvan SLOVAKJán SLOVAKJanko SLOVAKAnže SLOVENEIvan SLOVENEJan SLOVENEJanez SLOVENEJanko SLOVENEŽan SLOVENEIván SPANISHJuan SPANISHJuanito SPANISHXuan SPANISHHampus SWEDISHHannes SWEDISHHans SWEDISHHasse SWEDISHJan SWEDISHJanne SWEDISHJens SWEDISHJohan SWEDISHJohannes SWEDISHJon SWEDISHYahya TURKISHIvan UKRAINIANEvan WELSHIanto WELSHIefan WELSHIeuan WELSHIfan WELSHIoan WELSHIwan WELSHSiôn WELSHJackson ENGLISHJaxon ENGLISHJaxson ENGLISHMalone ENGLISHSinjin ENGLISHYancy ENGLISHYahweh THEOLOGYBevan WELSH
Common questions about the name Janet
What does the name Janet mean?
Janet means "God is gracious" — a name rooted in English tradition that carries both historical depth and timeless appeal. The meaning reflects values that have made this name endure across generations.
How popular is the name Janet?
Janet is currently a distinctive and less common name as a baby name in the US and is holding steady in popularity, a reliable classic that parents consistently choose.
What is the cultural origin of Janet?
Janet originates from English tradition. English names tend to carry strong cultural heritage and have spread across the world through migration, literature, and religion over centuries.
How do you pronounce the name Janet?
Janet is a two-syllable name pronounced JAN-ut. The pronunciation is straightforward for English speakers, and the name reads clearly on paper — an important practical consideration for parents.
Is Janet a common or rare name?
Janet is a distinctive choice that balances familiarity with individuality. It strikes a balance between standing out and fitting in.