Jane

Jane meaning

Jane is a Christian and international girl's name of Hebrew origin (via Old French).

Feminine of John: Jehovah-favoured

Also used to mean: God is gracious

Jane is one of the English feminine forms of John. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces it through French Jeanne and Old French Jehane to Medieval Latin Johanna. John itself comes from Greek Iōannēs and the Hebrew Yehochanan, which Strong's Concordance (H3076) explains as "Jehovah-favoured", from the divine name and chanan, "to show favour"; hence the familiar gloss "God is gracious". Joan, Janet, Jean and Joanna belong to the same family. Famous bearers include the novelist Jane Austen and the primatologist Jane Goodall. It is a simple name used in Indian Christian families.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, G2491 (from H3110, H3076) · entry Yehowchanan · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Online Etymology Dictionary, Jane · Strong's H3076, Yehochanan (Bible Hub)

Famous namesakes

• Jane Austen, English novelist
• Jane Goodall, primatologist

Popularity abroad

• #221 United States, girls 2025 (up 48 from 269 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Jane · Jayne

Related names

Also meaning grace

Also starting with Jan-

More names of Hebrew origin

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