Janelle
How to say it: juh-NEL · /dʒəˈnɛl/
Modern feminine elaboration of Jane/Jean; ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Janelle was the 727th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 340 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1980s, its births are down about 53% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #881 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #727 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 340 |
| Share of births | 1 in 9,234 |
| Peak decade | 1980s |
| Change over 10 years | −53% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #881 |
| In France, 2025 | #806 among girls’ names, 35 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After climbing through the late twentieth century, Janelle peaked in the 1980s. It now rests well below that level and looks set to drift lower.
What goes with it
Gentle with a lilting stress on the second syllable, Janelle sounds smooth and soft. Jolene and Renee share its mood.
Parents who love Janelle also love
Nicknames
- Jan
- Nelle
- Janie
Other spellings
Honouring a Janelle in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Janelle is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew.
In France: #806 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Janelle
- Janelle Commissiong (born 1953)Trinidad and Tobago model
- Janelle James (born 1979)American comedian
- Janelle Salaün (born 2001)French basketball player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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