girl's name · in the US
Janis
JAN-iss (English)
- Origin American
- Gender Girl (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 50,656
Janis fell further than any name in this sweep — 3,217 American births in 1947 down to 10 in the most recent year on record, which is a fall of more than 99 percent.
- Janis is a name of American origin.
- Peaked in 1947, when 3,217 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 331,565 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1909.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Janis Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 6 |
| 1910s | 389 |
| 1920s | 1,479 |
| 1930s | 4,650 |
| 1940s | 14,908 |
| 1950s | 18,720 |
| 1960s | 4,995 |
| 1970s | 1,864 |
| 1980s | 870 |
| 1990s | 461 |
| 2000s | 348 |
| 2010s | 253 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 72 |
What Janis Means
Janis means God is gracious, carried from Jane and ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan. The ending is a twentieth-century American respelling and adds nothing to the sense.
Where Janis Comes From
Janis respells Janice, itself an elaboration of Jane with the -ice ending that also produced Bernice and Candice as models. Jane is the English feminine of John, from the Old French Jehanne and the Hebrew Yochanan, God is gracious. A separate Latvian Jānis, the masculine form of John in that language, is unrelated in use despite the identical spelling. The name is on record from 1909.
Janis in Use
Janis peaked in the United States in 1947, when 3,217 babies were registered, and is falling. It now ranks 6,648th in France on 10 births and 10,064th in the United States on 10, across 50,656 lifetime births in two markets. The fall from 3,217 to 10 is the steepest in this sweep and among the steepest on record.
How Popular Is Janis?
In 2025, Janis was given to 10 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Janis Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Janis
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Janis Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Janis over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Janis is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- France Both 67% girls · 255 babies
- United States Girls' 93% girls · 156 babies
How to Say Janis
- English JAN-iss /ˈdʒæn.ɪs/
Janis in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Slovene
- Jane
Sibling Names for Janis
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Janis — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Janis
What does the name Janis mean?
God is gracious — from Jane and the Hebrew Yochanan.
Is the Latvian Jānis related?
It is the Latvian form of John, but masculine and unrelated in use despite the spelling.
How far has Janis fallen?
From 3,217 American births in 1947 to 10 — more than 99 percent.
Is it Janis or Janice?
Janice is the fuller form; Janis is a twentieth-century American respelling.
How popular is the name Janis?
In 2025, Janis was given to 10 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Janis a girl's or a boy's name?
Janis is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Janis?
Janis has 2 syllables.
When was Janis most popular?
Janis peaked in 1947, when 3,217 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Janis a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Janis currently ranks #6,648 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.