Total births
458,436
Unisex name · since 1880
Jean
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 458,436 babies named Jean, peaking in 1927. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2413
- among girls today
- 458,436
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Jean is the #2413 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 458,436 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Jean recorded 458,436 times among girls since 1880, holding rank #2413 nationally today, ahead of 86% of girls, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2413 among girls today
- 458,436 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 86% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Jean is currently the #2413 unisex name in America, more common than 86% of girls - 458,436 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2413
- among girls today
- 458,436
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other girls
Jean vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2413
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 86% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Jean was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
12,512 babies were named Jean in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
How Jean compares
458,436 Top 0% higher than 100% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Jean's all-time total is 1,200x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jean | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 458,436 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 12,512 | 48 | 19,840 |
Jean's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Jean's full recorded timeline at 1953, 23% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 77% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1881, with just 44 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1927 peak of 12,512 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Jean at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1927
Current rank
#2,413
Active since
1880
Jean popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1927)
- 12,512
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Jean popularity over time - boys
25,039 total births recorded since 1880 (Jean as boys' name)
Jean by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Jean's strongest decade.
105,999 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Jean births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 1,000
1880s
1,000 births
- 1890s 2,396
1890s
2,396 births
- 1900s 5,931
1900s
5,931 births
- 1910s 39,284
1910s
39,284 births
- 1920s
1920s
105,999 births
- 1930s
1930s
94,189 births
- 1940s
1940s
80,363 births
- 1950s
1950s
72,263 births
- 1960s 37,280
1960s
37,280 births
- 1970s 11,027
1970s
11,027 births
- 1980s 4,858
1980s
4,858 births
- 1990s 1,849
1990s
1,849 births
- 2000s 829
2000s
829 births
- 2010s 707
2010s
707 births
- 2020s 461
2020s
461 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 105,999 births (23% of all-time use).
How Jean compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Jean's total volume
Jean vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Jean by state
Where Jean concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 55,821 | 12.2% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 46,512 | 10.1% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 28,901 | 6.3% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 26,297 | 5.7% |
| #5 | Massachusetts | | 22,295 | 4.9% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 21,349 | 4.7% |
| #7 | California | | 19,827 | 4.3% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 19,406 | 4.2% |
New York share of Jean's total US births 12.2%
Even split
55,821 of 458,436 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Jean appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jean? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 458,436 babies named Jean. Today it holds rank #2413 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1927, with 12,512 births.
When was Jean most popular? ▼
Jean was most popular in the 1920s decade with 105,999 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Jean most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jean are New York (55,821 births), Pennsylvania (46,512 births), Illinois (28,901 births).
Is Jean a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Jean is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 458,436 births, and as a boy's name it has 25,039 births.
How long has the name Jean been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Jean since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Jean? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Jeanette, Jeanne, Jeannette, Jeannie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Jean's data
- Jean's decade-level peak was the 1920s (105,999 total births); usage has since declined to 461 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Jeans (55,821 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Jean
Nearby Names Like Jean
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jean
Jeanette Girl
#2775 163,440 births
Jeanne Girl
#4295 163,249 births
Jeannette Girl
#5965 69,251 births
Jeannie Girl
#5445 36,115 births
Jeannine Girl
#11186 24,066 births
Compare Jean side by side: Jean vs Jeanette Jean vs Jeanne Jean vs Jeannette
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jean
Miamor #2412
865 births · Peak 2020
Marguerite #2414
94,022 births · Peak 1918
Zaia #2411
610 births · Peak 2023
Betsy #2415
48,947 births · Peak 1959
Anyeli #2410
673 births · Peak 2024
Ivie #2416
2,415 births · Peak 2025
Honesti #2409
1,124 births · Peak 2023
Ellamae #2417
2,358 births · Peak 2021
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jean: #2413 Unisex Name - 458,436 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jean. 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 Jean 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 June 2026.