Jean
Variant of Jeanne, from French Jeanne, from Old French Jehane, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek…
Every Jean since 1880 — 483,475 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jean
Jean is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,130 in 2025 with 88 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 483,475 American babies have been named Jean — about 95% girls and 5% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1927, when 12,775 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Jean stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jean 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 | 88 | #2,130 | 176 | #1,172 |
| 2024 | 75 | #2,425 | 185 | #1,142 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2,631 | 152 | #1,266 |
| 2022 | 73 | #2,476 | 135 | #1,385 |
| 2021 | 83 | #2,241 | 108 | #1,592 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2,358 | 122 | #1,420 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2,099 | 143 | #1,300 |
| 2018 | 76 | #2,396 | 148 | #1,248 |
| 2017 | 73 | #2,474 | 162 | #1,160 |
| 2016 | 75 | #2,451 | 182 | #1,083 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2,665 | 154 | #1,202 |
| 2014 | 77 | #2,380 | 184 | #1,066 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2,741 | 185 | #1,042 |
| 2012 | 59 | #2,916 | 190 | #1,027 |
| 2011 | 58 | #2,966 | 209 | #951 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2,624 | 272 | #800 |
| 2009 | 46 | #3,535 | 210 | #959 |
| 2008 | 61 | #2,905 | 222 | #921 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2,264 | 241 | #863 |
| 2006 | 73 | #2,522 | 299 | #722 |
| 2005 | 80 | #2,268 | 242 | #798 |
| 2004 | 77 | #2,272 | 294 | #687 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2,023 | 267 | #705 |
| 2002 | 87 | #2,008 | 262 | #695 |
| 2001 | 112 | #1,634 | 288 | #648 |
| 2000 | 118 | #1,537 | 292 | #629 |
| 1995 | 159 | #1,115 | 291 | #602 |
| 1990 | 265 | #772 | 357 | #522 |
| 1985 | 466 | #461 | 250 | #557 |
| 1980 | 682 | #348 | 214 | #590 |
| 1975 | 883 | #272 | 193 | #582 |
| 1970 | 2,112 | #159 | 273 | #491 |
| 1965 | 3,364 | #112 | 199 | #545 |
| 1960 | 5,639 | #86 | 146 | #646 |
| 1955 | 7,480 | #60 | 151 | #602 |
| 1950 | 7,432 | #48 | 165 | #520 |
| 1945 | 7,429 | #38 | 156 | #481 |
| 1940 | 8,063 | #29 | 151 | #470 |
| 1935 | 8,852 | #18 | 195 | #391 |
| 1930 | 11,986 | #14 | 288 | #325 |
| 1925 | 11,598 | #14 | 303 | #331 |
| 1920 | 7,714 | #33 | 277 | #357 |
| 1915 | 4,603 | #48 | 162 | #424 |
| 1910 | 1,246 | #77 | 44 | #400 |
| 1905 | 548 | #115 | 22 | #485 |
| 1900 | 473 | #132 | 22 | #499 |
| 1895 | 232 | #177 | 19 | #465 |
| 1890 | 160 | #187 | 15 | #498 |
| 1885 | 99 | #189 | 17 | #451 |
| 1880 | 59 | #203 | 12 | #546 |
Famous people named Jean
- Jean Piaget Psychologist · 1896–1980
- Jean Sibelius Composer · 1865–1957
- Jean le Rond d'Alembert Mathematician · 1717–1783
- Jean Cocteau Writer · 1889–1963
- Jean de La Fontaine Writer · 1621–1695
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jean mean?
Variant of Jeanne, from French Jeanne, from Old French Jehane, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally…
How popular is the name Jean in 2025?
Jean ranked #2,130 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 88 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jean?
483,475 babies have been named Jean in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jean most popular?
Jean peaked in 1927, when 12,775 newborns received the name.
Is Jean a boy or girl name?
Jean is used for both: about 95% of babies named Jean have been girls and 5% boys.
Is the name Jean rising or falling?
Jean is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jean?
Well-known people named Jean include Jean Piaget (psychologist), Jean Sibelius (composer), Jean le Rond d'Alembert (mathematician).