Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1947

Janis

Meaning A variant of Janice Gender Girl Rank 2025 #9,736

A variant of Janice. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Janice, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

Rank 2025
#9,736
among girls · ↓538 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
10
named Janis
How common
1 in 160,727
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1947
3,217 babies
All-time total
49,015
#599 all-time among girls
First recorded
1909
in Social Security records

Janis popularity over time

49,015 babies have been named Janis since 1909, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.511.5218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s 6 – 6 1 – #2,078
1910s 389 – 389 39 +6383% #794
1920s 1,474 5 1,479 148 +280% #438
1930s 4,633 17 4,650 465 +214% #226
1940s 14,862 46 14,908 1,491 +221% #108
1950s 18,673 47 18,720 1,872 +26% #131
1960s 4,968 27 4,995 500 -73% #321
1970s 1,853 11 1,864 186 -63% #609
1980s 865 5 870 87 -53% #1,036
1990s 461 – 461 46 -47% #2,387
2000s 343 5 348 35 -25% #3,215
2010s 253 – 253 25 -27% #4,063
2020s (to 2025) 61 11 72 12 -53% #9,198

The story of Janis

Janis is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,736 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1909, 49,015 American babies have been named Janis. Its peak came in 1947, when 3,217 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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 Janis stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Janis?

The median living Janis is about 72 years old; half are between 66 and 77. An estimated 35 thousand people named Janis are alive in the United States today.

median 72 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Janis 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 10 #9,736 – –
2024 11 #9,198 – –
2023 11 #9,263 6 #11,425
2022 10 #10,004 5 #13,155
2021 10 #9,866 – –
2020 9 #10,623 – –
2019 21 #5,869 – –
2018 20 #6,122 – –
2017 20 #6,148 – –
2016 23 #5,702 – –
2015 30 #4,643 – –
2014 33 #4,393 – –
2013 28 #4,946 – –
2012 18 #6,976 – –
2011 23 #5,820 – –
2010 37 #4,063 – –
2009 35 #4,308 – –
2008 27 #5,354 – –
2007 30 #4,864 – –
2006 31 #4,621 – –
2005 36 #3,985 – –
2004 40 #3,660 – –
2003 26 #4,862 – –
2002 44 #3,215 – –
2001 38 #3,514 – –
2000 36 #3,616 5 #11,121
1995 46 #2,663 – –
1990 46 #2,581 – –
1985 80 #1,529 – –
1980 138 #1,036 5 #6,674
1975 155 #864 – –
1970 244 #660 – –
1965 427 #461 – –
1960 857 #321 6 #3,838
1955 1,840 #180 10 #2,667
1950 2,295 #136 6 #3,490
1945 1,128 #184 5 #3,529
1940 578 #260 – –
1935 448 #287 – –
1930 270 #403 – –
1925 140 #620 – –
1920 121 #660 – –
1915 39 #1,085 – –
1910 8 #1,844 – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Janis

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Janis Joplin Janis Joplin American singer (1943–1970) Contemporary
  2. 2 Janis Ian Janis Ian American singer-songwriter (born 1951) Contemporary
  3. 3 Janis Paige Janis Paige American actress and singer (1922–2024) Contemporary
  4. 4 Janis Rozentāls Janis Rozentāls Latvian painter 1866–1916 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Janis, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Janis?

The median living Janis is about 72 years old. Half of all living Janiss are between 66 and 77 years old.

How many people named Janis are alive today?

An estimated 35 thousand people named Janis are alive in the United States, based on 49,015 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Janis mean?

A variant of Janice. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Janice, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

How popular is the name Janis in 2025?

Janis ranked #9,736 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Janis?

49,015 babies have been named Janis in the United States since 1909, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Janis most popular?

Janis peaked in 1947, when 3,217 newborns received the name.

Is Janis a boy or girl name?

Janis is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Janis rising or falling?

Janis is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Janis?

Well-known people named Janis include Janis Joplin (singer), Janis Ian (musician), Janis Paige (actor).

Names like Janis

Names that sound and feel close to Janis: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Janis with similar names → More names starting with J →