Jan
A male given name from Dutch.
Every Jan since 1902 — 76,934 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jan
Jan is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #15,898 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1902, 76,934 American babies have been named Jan — about 71% girls and 29% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1954, when 3,761 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #15,898 | 47 | #2,731 |
| 2024 | — | — | 66 | #2,198 |
| 2023 | — | — | 69 | #2,118 |
| 2022 | — | — | 68 | #2,157 |
| 2021 | 5 | #16,260 | 62 | #2,262 |
| 2020 | 5 | #16,139 | 69 | #2,056 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,561 | 54 | #2,472 |
| 2018 | — | — | 82 | #1,843 |
| 2017 | — | — | 63 | #2,158 |
| 2016 | 5 | #17,331 | 84 | #1,804 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,303 | 93 | #1,685 |
| 2014 | — | — | 84 | #1,787 |
| 2013 | 7 | #13,765 | 112 | #1,469 |
| 2012 | 8 | #12,702 | 107 | #1,505 |
| 2011 | 7 | #13,950 | 116 | #1,426 |
| 2010 | 5 | #18,137 | 135 | #1,286 |
| 2009 | 8 | #12,946 | 160 | #1,143 |
| 2008 | — | — | 206 | #971 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,315 | 189 | #1,014 |
| 2006 | 6 | #15,925 | 279 | #758 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,436 | 215 | #856 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11,069 | 235 | #776 |
| 2003 | 10 | #9,979 | 191 | #885 |
| 2002 | 6 | #14,320 | 175 | #920 |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,102 | 214 | #790 |
| 2000 | 17 | #6,314 | 192 | #837 |
| 1995 | 27 | #3,924 | 107 | #1,100 |
| 1990 | 46 | #2,580 | 126 | #915 |
| 1985 | 90 | #1,415 | 131 | #775 |
| 1980 | 186 | #841 | 114 | #824 |
| 1975 | 262 | #606 | 97 | #848 |
| 1970 | 498 | #442 | 163 | #636 |
| 1965 | 937 | #285 | 219 | #519 |
| 1960 | 2,447 | #166 | 370 | #412 |
| 1955 | 2,768 | #138 | 655 | #279 |
| 1950 | 1,725 | #166 | 608 | #267 |
| 1945 | 864 | #221 | 496 | #263 |
| 1940 | 331 | #356 | 349 | #299 |
| 1935 | 188 | #465 | 196 | #389 |
| 1930 | 60 | #945 | 29 | #1,353 |
| 1925 | 31 | #1,482 | 26 | #1,475 |
| 1920 | 19 | #2,036 | 29 | #1,364 |
| 1915 | 11 | #2,610 | 22 | #1,485 |
| 1910 | — | — | 9 | #1,160 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Jan
- Jan Hus Social activist · 1369–1415
- Jan van Eyck Painter · 1395–1441
- Jan Žižka Military personnel · 1360–1424
- Jan Steen Painter · 1626–1679
- Jan van Riebeeck Explorer · 1619–1677
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jan mean?
A male given name from Dutch.
How popular is the name Jan in 2025?
Jan ranked #15,898 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jan?
76,934 babies have been named Jan in the United States since 1902, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jan most popular?
Jan peaked in 1954, when 3,761 newborns received the name.
Is Jan a boy or girl name?
Jan is used for both: about 71% of babies named Jan have been girls and 29% boys.
Is the name Jan rising or falling?
Jan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jan?
Well-known people named Jan include Jan Hus (social activist), Jan van Eyck (painter), Jan Žižka (military personnel).