Janet
How to say it: JAN-et · /ˈdʒænət/
Scottish diminutive of Jane, itself from Hebrew Yochanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Janet was the 1,566th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 61 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1940s, its births are down about 61% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #2,007 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 | #1,566 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 61 |
| Share of births | 1 in 35,648 |
| Peak decade | 1940s |
| Change over 10 years | −61% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #2,007 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,541 among girls’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Janet peaked in the 1940s and is less common today.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Jan
- Nettie
Other spellings
Honouring a Janet in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Janet is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #2,541 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Janet
- Janet Jackson (born 1966)American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress
- Janet Yellen (born 1946)78th United States Secretary of the Treasury
- Janet Gaynor (1906–1984)American actress
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Hurricane Janet 1955, retired name
Keep exploring
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