Janet is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Janet means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Janet across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Janet has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Janet is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. originally a diminutive of Jane.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 558,291 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 360 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 784 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 7 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 1,453 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 2,253 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Janet per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1954 (18,507/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (88/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1973 (78/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2008 (23/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (4/yr).
Janet has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1954, when it ranked #44 nationally (given to 18,507 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Juanita · Jeanette · Jeannette · Janette · Jaunita · Jannette · Jeanetta · Janetta
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