Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1978

January

Meaning (month) of Janus Gender Girl Rank 2025 #10,448

From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a…

Rank 2025
#10,448
among girls · ↓1,248 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
9
named January
How common
1 in 178,585
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1978
257 babies
All-time total
2,170
#4,466 all-time among girls
First recorded
1951
in Social Security records

January popularity over time

2,170 babies have been named January since 1951, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1978Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s 17 2 – #4,563
1960s 75 8 +341% #4,045
1970s 1,000 100 +1233% #638
1980s 517 52 -48% #1,119
1990s 116 12 -78% #4,928
2000s 115 12 -1% #7,020
2010s 239 24 +108% #4,111
2020s (to 2025) 91 15 -37% #6,078

The story of January

January is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,448 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1951, 2,170 American babies have been named January. Its peak came in 1978, when 257 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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

How old are people named January?

The median living January is about 45 years old; half are between 33 and 48. An estimated 2,100 people named January are alive in the United States today.

median 45 020406080100

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

January year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 9 #10,448
2024 11 #9,200
2023 17 #6,778
2022 20 #6,078
2021 15 #7,416
2020 19 #6,177
2019 14 #7,908
2018 19 #6,364
2017 24 #5,434
2016 21 #6,060
2015 22 #5,913
2014 27 #5,086
2013 36 #4,111
2012 28 #5,023
2011 25 #5,440
2010 23 #5,865
2009 15 #8,215
2008 11 #10,377
2007 8 #13,177
2006 10 #10,940
2005 9 #11,282
2004 11 #9,515
2003 16 #7,020
2002 14 #7,592
2001 8 #11,441
2000 13 #7,761
1995 10 #8,337
1990 8 #9,607
1985 37 #2,616
1980 122 #1,119
1975 89 #1,258
1970 10 #5,194
1965 11 #4,045
1960 6 #5,969
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named January

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

  1. 1 January Jones January Jones American actress (born 1978) Contemporary
  2. 2 January Suchodolski January Suchodolski Polish artist (1797–1875) 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average January?

The median living January is about 45 years old. Half of all living Januarys are between 33 and 48 years old.

How many people named January are alive today?

An estimated 2,100 people named January are alive in the United States, based on 2,170 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name January mean?

From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") +‎ -ārius (adjectival suffix),…

How popular is the name January in 2025?

January ranked #10,448 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named January?

2,170 babies have been named January in the United States since 1951, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name January most popular?

January peaked in 1978, when 257 newborns received the name.

Is January a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name January rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named January?

Well-known people named January include January Jones (actor), January Suchodolski (painter).

Names like January

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

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