Total births
127
Unisex name · since 1936
Janus
Janus has 127 recorded births since 1936 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1956 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 127
- total births
- 1936–1971
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 44%
- born in that decade
Janus sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 127 recorded since 1936.
Janus has 127 recorded births among girls since 1936, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 1971.
- 127 total births
- 1936–1971 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 44% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
127 girls have been named Janus since 1936, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1971.
- 127
- total births
- 1936–1971
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 44%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Janus was born in this single decade.
1956
Single peak year
16 babies were named Janus in 1956 - its busiest year on record.
Janus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Janus's SSA record in two at 1951 and the more recent half accounts for 57% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 43%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1936, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1956 peak of 16, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Janus at a glance
Last recorded 1971Peak year
1956
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1936
Janus popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–1971
- Peak year (1956)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
Janus popularity over time - boys
41 total births recorded since 1922 (Janus as boys' name)
Janus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Janus's strongest decade.
56 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Janus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s
1940s
44 births
- 1950s
1950s
56 births
- 1960s 15
1960s
15 births
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 56 births (44% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Janus? ▼
Since 1936, Social Security records show 127 babies named Janus. The most recent recorded year was 1971. Its busiest year on record was 1956, with 16 births.
When was Janus most popular? ▼
Janus was most popular in the 1950s decade with 56 total births. The single peak year was 1956.
Is Janus a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Janus is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 127 births, and as a boy's name it has 41 births.
How long has the name Janus been used? ▼
Janus has been recorded in Social Security data since 1936, spanning 36 years of data through 1971.
What names are similar to Janus? ▼
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 Janus's data
- Janus's decade-level peak was the 1950s (56 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Janus
Nearby Names Like Janus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Janus
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 Janus side by side: Janus vs Janet Janus vs Janice Janus 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, 1936–1971 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Janus: Baby Name Since 1936 - 127 Births, Peak 1956." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/janus. 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 Janus 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.