Jean
Jean is given to both girls and boys: 88 girls and 176 boys were given it in 2025 (#2,130 among girls’ names and #1,172 among boys’, #1,850 among all names counting both); 483,475 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026). Boys have outnumbered girls among babies named Jean every year since 1990.
An estimated 191,000 Americans named Jean and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (39% of everyone recorded); the median is 72 years old and half are between 63 and 80.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Jean by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Jean mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Jean is “a female given name from French.” Its etymology gives the sense “God is gracious” (literally).
Also “a male given name from French.”
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 “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān). Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena. The unincorporated community in Nevada, originally named Goodsprings Junction, was renamed Jean on 28 June 1905 by postmaster George Arthur Fayle in honor of his wife.
/d͡ʒiːn/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Jean?
#2,130 among girls’ names, 2025
Jean rose from #2,665 in 2015 to #2,130 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 37.5 to 54.8 per million.
12,775 babies in 1927, the peak
Jean peaked in 1927, when 12,775 babies were given it (12,512 girls, #14 among girls’ names). The 264 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 2% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 88 | #2,130 | 0.05 |
| 2024 | 75 | #2,425 | 0.05 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2,631 | 0.04 |
| 2022 | 73 | #2,476 | 0.04 |
| 2021 | 83 | #2,241 | 0.05 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2,358 | 0.05 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2,099 | 0.05 |
| 2018 | 76 | #2,396 | 0.04 |
| 2017 | 73 | #2,474 | 0.04 |
| 2016 | 75 | #2,451 | 0.04 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Births | Rank | Per 1,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 67 | #2,665 | 0.04 |
| 2014 | 77 | #2,380 | 0.04 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2,740 | 0.04 |
| 2012 | 59 | #2,915 | 0.03 |
| 2011 | 58 | #2,965 | 0.03 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2,624 | 0.04 |
| 2009 | 46 | #3,534 | 0.03 |
| 2008 | 61 | #2,904 | 0.03 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2,264 | 0.04 |
| 2006 | 73 | #2,522 | 0.04 |
| 2005 | 80 | #2,267 | 0.04 |
| 2004 | 77 | #2,269 | 0.04 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2,021 | 0.05 |
| 2002 | 87 | #2,005 | 0.05 |
| 2001 | 112 | #1,633 | 0.06 |
| 2000 | 118 | #1,535 | 0.06 |
| 1999 | 109 | #1,550 | 0.06 |
| 1998 | 151 | #1,216 | 0.09 |
| 1997 | 137 | #1,282 | 0.08 |
| 1996 | 140 | #1,248 | 0.08 |
| 1995 | 159 | #1,112 | 0.09 |
| 1994 | 189 | #979 | 0.11 |
| 1993 | 214 | #901 | 0.12 |
| 1992 | 211 | #921 | 0.11 |
| 1991 | 274 | #753 | 0.15 |
| 1990 | 265 | #771 | 0.14 |
| 1989 | 348 | #609 | 0.19 |
| 1988 | 329 | #610 | 0.18 |
| 1987 | 381 | #529 | 0.22 |
| 1986 | 400 | #517 | 0.23 |
| 1985 | 466 | #461 | 0.27 |
| 1984 | 519 | #409 | 0.31 |
| 1983 | 525 | #411 | 0.31 |
| 1982 | 603 | #382 | 0.36 |
| 1981 | 605 | #380 | 0.36 |
| 1980 | 682 | #348 | 0.41 |
| 1979 | 658 | #353 | 0.41 |
| 1978 | 652 | #334 | 0.43 |
| 1977 | 765 | #311 | 0.50 |
| 1976 | 812 | #281 | 0.55 |
| 1975 | 883 | #272 | 0.61 |
| 1974 | 960 | #261 | 0.65 |
| 1973 | 1,109 | #231 | 0.76 |
| 1972 | 1,300 | #212 | 0.85 |
| 1971 | 1,776 | #173 | 1.1 |
| 1970 | 2,112 | #159 | 1.2 |
| 1969 | 1,908 | #167 | 1.1 |
| 1968 | 2,079 | #158 | 1.3 |
| 1967 | 2,546 | #136 | 1.5 |
| 1966 | 2,919 | #123 | 1.7 |
| 1965 | 3,364 | #112 | 1.9 |
| 1964 | 4,097 | #100 | 2.2 |
| 1963 | 4,485 | #97 | 2.3 |
| 1962 | 4,877 | #95 | 2.5 |
| 1961 | 5,366 | #92 | 2.7 |
| 1960 | 5,639 | #86 | 2.8 |
| 1959 | 6,233 | #77 | 3.1 |
| 1958 | 6,521 | #73 | 3.2 |
| 1957 | 7,048 | #67 | 3.4 |
| 1956 | 7,175 | #65 | 3.6 |
| 1955 | 7,480 | #60 | 3.8 |
| 1954 | 7,665 | #56 | 3.9 |
| 1953 | 7,571 | #52 | 4.0 |
| 1952 | 7,511 | #50 | 4.1 |
| 1951 | 7,627 | #49 | 4.2 |
| 1950 | 7,432 | #48 | 4.3 |
| 1949 | 7,760 | #45 | 4.5 |
| 1948 | 7,774 | #47 | 4.6 |
| 1947 | 8,940 | #40 | 5.0 |
| 1946 | 8,554 | #37 | 5.4 |
| 1945 | 7,429 | #38 | 5.7 |
| 1944 | 7,650 | #37 | 5.8 |
| 1943 | 8,096 | #36 | 5.8 |
| 1942 | 8,257 | #36 | 6.1 |
| 1941 | 7,840 | #32 | 6.5 |
| 1940 | 8,063 | #29 | 7.1 |
| 1939 | 7,292 | #32 | 6.6 |
| 1938 | 7,764 | #27 | 7.0 |
| 1937 | 8,392 | #23 | 7.9 |
| 1936 | 8,536 | #20 | 8.2 |
| 1935 | 8,852 | #18 | 8.4 |
| 1934 | 9,718 | #16 | 9.3 |
| 1933 | 9,966 | #14 | 9.9 |
| 1932 | 10,670 | #15 | 10.0 |
| 1931 | 11,013 | #13 | 10.3 |
| 1930 | 11,986 | #14 | 10.6 |
| 1929 | 11,865 | #12 | 10.6 |
| 1928 | 12,209 | #12 | 10.6 |
| 1927 | 12,512 | #14 | 10.5 |
| 1926 | 12,168 | #12 | 10.3 |
| 1925 | 11,598 | #14 | 9.5 |
| 1924 | 10,721 | #16 | 8.6 |
| 1923 | 9,511 | #19 | 7.9 |
| 1922 | 9,109 | #20 | 7.6 |
| 1921 | 8,592 | #25 | 7.0 |
| 1920 | 7,714 | #33 | 6.4 |
| 1919 | 6,799 | #37 | 6.0 |
| 1918 | 6,600 | #37 | 5.7 |
| 1917 | 5,692 | #40 | 5.3 |
| 1916 | 5,081 | #45 | 4.9 |
| 1915 | 4,603 | #48 | 4.7 |
| 1914 | 3,281 | #54 | 4.3 |
| 1913 | 2,545 | #60 | 4.1 |
| 1912 | 2,056 | #64 | 3.7 |
| 1911 | 1,381 | #74 | 3.3 |
| 1910 | 1,246 | #77 | 3.1 |
| 1909 | 940 | #90 | 2.7 |
| 1908 | 852 | #91 | 2.5 |
| 1907 | 770 | #96 | 2.4 |
| 1906 | 666 | #100 | 2.3 |
| 1905 | 548 | #115 | 1.9 |
| 1904 | 483 | #122 | 1.8 |
| 1903 | 462 | #121 | 1.8 |
| 1902 | 408 | #138 | 1.5 |
| 1901 | 329 | #149 | 1.4 |
| 1900 | 473 | #132 | 1.6 |
| 1899 | 318 | #147 | 1.4 |
| 1898 | 341 | #147 | 1.3 |
| 1897 | 258 | #172 | 1.1 |
| 1896 | 255 | #173 | 1.1 |
| 1895 | 232 | #177 | 1.0 |
| 1894 | 242 | #167 | 1.1 |
| 1893 | 215 | #171 | 1.0 |
| 1892 | 194 | #182 | 0.91 |
| 1891 | 181 | #178 | 1.0 |
| 1890 | 160 | #187 | 0.84 |
| 1889 | 171 | #173 | 1.0 |
| 1888 | 145 | #185 | 0.81 |
| 1887 | 112 | #187 | 0.77 |
| 1886 | 124 | #182 | 0.86 |
| 1885 | 99 | #189 | 0.74 |
| 1884 | 103 | #173 | 0.80 |
| 1883 | 83 | #183 | 0.74 |
| 1882 | 60 | #223 | 0.56 |
| 1881 | 44 | #237 | 0.48 |
| 1880 | 59 | #203 | 0.65 |
Ranks and shares: girls’ names in each year’s SSA file; share of all girls SSA recorded that year.
Is Jean a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 483,475 Americans recorded as Jean, 95% are girls and 5% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Jean: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Jean, and how old are they?
191,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 39% of the 483,475 Americans ever recorded as Jean. The median Jean alive today is 72 years old; half are between 63 and 80.
The 2020 Census counted 270,231 people named Jean (228,208 women and girls, 42,023 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 236,924 born in the U.S. The Census count is 14% above that prediction. Possible reasons: the Census counts people born abroad, whom SSA’s files leave out, and it records the name people give, which SSA may have recorded under another spelling or as part of a compound name.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 45,000 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 101,000 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 25,600 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 9,910 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 5,300 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 3,000 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Jean born?
The states with the most babies named Jean are New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois, with 29% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 60,046 | #1,927 | 1.4× |
| Pennsylvania | 47,085 | not ranked | 1.4× |
| Illinois | 29,669 | not ranked | 1.2× |
| Ohio | 26,634 | not ranked | 1.1× |
| Massachusetts | 23,690 | not ranked | 1.5× |
| California | 22,072 | #1,886 | 0.8× |
| Michigan | 21,620 | not ranked | 1.1× |
| New Jersey | 20,431 | not ranked | 1.4× |
| Wisconsin | 19,082 | not ranked | 1.6× |
| Minnesota | 14,364 | not ranked | 1.4× |
Where Jean is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Jean is most over-represented in Wisconsin: since 1910 it was given 1.6 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Jean with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 7 names spelled alike, given to 485,823 babies since 1880, Jean is the most given (100% of them). In 2025 it was given to 264 of their 311 babies (85%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Jean
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Jean and names like it
- Compare Jean and JeneanBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sJean peaked in 1927.
- New York’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Jean since 1910.
- French namesWiktionary’s origin for Jean: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1927The year the most babies were named Jean.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Jean alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with JMost given first.