Origin, Meaning, And History of Jean
Jean is traditionally a masculine name that is believed to have French and Hebrew origins. Jean is an old French form of Iohannes and the modern French form of Jehan, which connects with the Biblical Hebrew word Yochanan, meaning ‘Yahweh is gracious.’
Etymologists believe that Jean is also a Medieval English variant of Jehanne, which is believed to connect with the names Iohannes and Yochanan, symbolizing ‘God as gracious.’
In addition to Jean’s popularity as a given masculine name, the French have even used it as a surname. If you are exploring feminine names with the same significance, Jeanne is a popular feminine French and English variant of the name Jean.
The French masculine version of Jean is typically a diminutive of Jeannot and has given rise to variants adopted by different cultures and languages. Yannig in Breton, Ivan in Bulgarian, Yahya in Arabic, Joop and Johan in Dutch, Giannis in Greek, Jani in Hungarian, Jan in Polish, Joan in Occitan, Ivo in Slovene, Hans in Norwegian, Ianto in Welsh, Jackie in English, and Ants in Estonian are some of the popular variants.
The Scottish feminine version of Jean comprises Jone in Basque, Janina in German, Janka in Hungarian, Nino in Italian, Janika in Estonian, Ivana in Slovak, Shan in Welsh, Yana in Ukrainian, and Jenny in Norwegian, which is some of the popular variants.
In the world of literature and fiction, Jean is quite a popular name that authors and screenwriters frequently choose. The British sitcoms Dinnerladies and One Foot in the Grave have characters named Jean and Jean Warboys. For comic book lovers, both Spiderman and Marvel comics have characters named Jean DeWolff and Jean Grey.
The TV soap opera EastEnders has a character named Jean Slater, who was famously portrayed by Gillian Wright. If you are a videogame enthusiast, the action game titled Genshin Impact also has a character named Jean Gunnhildr, a playable Anemo character.
Unisex
Christianity
Belgian, Hebrew
3
One
1 word, 4 letters, 2 vowels, 2 consonants
Short and easy to pronounce
How To Pronounce Jean?
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Listen to the sound of the name Jean in English.
Famous People With The Name Jean
- Jean ArthurAmerican Broadway and film actress, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for The More the Merrier (1943)
- Jean ByronAmerican film, television, and stage actress, best known for her role in the TV series The Patty Duke Show
- Jean CarrollAmerican comedian and actress, best known for featuring in the 2007 TV show The J.A.P. Show: Jewish American Princesses of Comedy
- Jean DarlingAmerican child actress, best known for the Our Gang short subjects series from 1927–29
- Jean HagenAmerican actress, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to television
- Jean HarlowAmerican actress, popular for her ‘laughing vamp’ screen persona
- Jean ParkerAmerican stage and film actress, best known for her role in the film The Flying Deuces in 1939
Names With Similar Sound As Jean
Check out some more names that sound similar to names like Jean for your little one.
Popular Sibling Names For Jean
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Boy Sibling Names For Jean
Find matching brother names for Jean and create a wonderful team of siblings.
Jan Janek Janez Jani Janic Janie Janis Janko Jannes JannicGirl Sibling Names For Jean
Looking for some suitable sister names for Jean? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
Jana Janada Janah Janalee Janaliz Janata Janay Janeah Janean JaneeOther Popular Names Beginning With J
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter J to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Similar Meaning As Jean
Here are some similar-meaning names for you if you liked the meaning of Jean.
Infographic: Know The Name Jean‘s Personality As Per Numerology
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Download InfographicHow To Communicate The Name Jean In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
jean
In Sign Language
jean
In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Jean
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Jean?
The name Jean means ‘Yahweh is gracious.’
2. What is the origin of the name Jean?
Jean has French and Hebrew origins.
3. What are some names that pair well with Jean as a middle name?
The name Jean holds the meaning ‘Yahweh is gracious.’ It can be beautifully paired with names of similar meanings, like Hananiah or John. Additionally, since Jean is a single-syllable name, other one-syllable names such as Noam, which means ‘pleasantness,’ Tal, meaning ‘dew,’ or Din, signifying ‘judgment,’ could also be wonderful options to consider as combinations with Jean.
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