Total births
256
Girls' name · since 1956
Janele
Janele has 256 recorded births since 1956 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1978 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 256
- total births
- 1956–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Janele sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 256 recorded since 1956.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Janele has been recorded 256 times among girls since 1956, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1956 to 2008.
- 256 total births
- 1956–2008 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
256 girls have been named Janele since 1956, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2008.
- 256
- total births
- 1956–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Janele was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
14 babies were named Janele in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
Janele's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Janele's SSA record in two at 1983 and the more recent half accounts for 54% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 46%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1956, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1978 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Janele at a glance
Last recorded 2008Peak year
1978
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1956
Janele popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2008
- Peak year (1978)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Janele by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Janele's strongest decade.
88 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Janele births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 24
1960s
24 births
- 1970s
1970s
65 births
- 1980s
1980s
88 births
- 1990s
1990s
69 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 88 births (34% of all-time use).
Janele by state
Where Janele concentrates geographically, total births since 1956
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 7 | 2.7% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 2.0% |
California share of Janele's total US births 2.7%
Even split
7 of 256 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Janele? ▼
Janele has been given to 256 babies in the U.S. since 1956, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2008. 14 babies were born in 1978, its single highest year.
When was Janele most popular? ▼
Janele was most popular in the 1980s decade with 88 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Janele most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Janele are California (7 births), Pennsylvania (5 births).
How long has the name Janele been used? ▼
Records for Janele go back to 1956, giving 53 years of history through 2008.
What names are similar to Janele? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Janet, Janice, Jane, Janie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Janele's data
- Janele's decade-level peak was the 1980s (88 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Janeles (7 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Janele
Nearby Names Like Janele
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Janele
Janet Girl
#2435 556,776 births
Janice Girl
#2250 406,448 births
Jane Girl
#269 379,876 births
Janie Girl
#1536 75,598 births
Janelle Girl
#776 56,881 births
Compare Janele side by side: Janele vs Janet Janele vs Janice Janele vs Jane
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1956–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Janele: Baby Name Since 1956 - 256 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/janele. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Janele draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.