Jane
Girl name · #221 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Jane? In official American birth records, Jane has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,380 baby girls were named Jane, placing it at #221 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #290, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,304 girls born in 2025 was named Jane.
The 145-year story
Jane first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 215 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 9,943 girls were named Jane — good for #36 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jane per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jane against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jane in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jane is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Jane is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jane is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Jane is most common in UT (5.6 per 1,000), ME (3.5 per 1,000), ID (3.1 per 1,000), OR (1.9 per 1,000), OK (1.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jane is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jane
Statistically, parents drawn to Jane tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elaine, Lana, Bonnie, June, and Rosemary.
ElaineLanaBonnieJuneRosemaryAnneCatherineSylvia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jane | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,380 | #221 |
| 2024 | 1,186 | #269 |
| 2023 | 1,116 | #281 |
| 2022 | 1,089 | #290 |
| 2021 | 1,172 | #266 |
| 2020 | 1,169 | #263 |
| 2019 | 1,189 | #277 |
| 2018 | 1,133 | #290 |
| 2017 | 1,157 | #282 |
| 2016 | 1,135 | #279 |
| 2015 | 1,112 | #290 |
| 2014 | 1,026 | #322 |
| 2013 | 898 | #357 |
| 2012 | 927 | #343 |
| 2011 | 868 | #367 |
| 2010 | 833 | #385 |
| 2009 | 831 | #386 |
| 2008 | 826 | #389 |
| 2007 | 775 | #424 |
| 2006 | 665 | #477 |
| 2005 | 651 | #472 |
| 2004 | 657 | #459 |
| 2003 | 704 | #427 |
| 2002 | 696 | #417 |
| 2001 | 671 | #423 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jane?
In official American birth records, the name Jane first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 215 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jane a popular girl name?
Jane ranked #221 among girls in 2025 with 1,380 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #290.
When was the name Jane most popular?
Jane peaked in 1947, when 9,943 American girls received the name (ranked #36 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jane?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,304 newborn American girls was named Jane. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.