Meaning: "God is gracious" or "gift from God"
Origin & Etymology:
- Feminine given name, derived from Hebrew Yohanan (יוֹחָנָן) → Latin Johanna → Old French Jehane / Jeanne → English Jane → diminutive Janet (Jane + the diminutive suffix -et).
- In Middle English, Ionete was a common medieval diminutive of Jane.
- Chiefly used in Scotland until the 19th century, after which it spread throughout the English-speaking world.
Pronunciation: /ˈdʒænɪt/ (JAN-it)
Related Names: Jane, Jeanette, Janette, Janie, Jenny, Jessie (historically a Scottish pet name for Janet), Seònaid (Scottish Gaelic form)
Historical Note: In Middle English (late 14th c.), Ionete-of-the-steues ("Janet of the Stews") was a common slang term for a prostitute, reflecting the reputation of medieval bathhouses (stews).
Notable Bearers:
- Janet Jackson (b. 1966) – American singer and pop icon
- Janet Yellen (b. 1946) – American economist, former U.S. Treasury Secretary
- Janet Reno (1938–2016) – First female U.S. Attorney General
- Janet Napolitano (b. 1957) – American politician and university administrator
- Janet Frame (1924–2004) – New Zealand author
- Pierre Janet (1859–1947) – French psychologist and neurologist (note: a surname, not the given name)
As an Acronym:
- JANET (UK) – The Joint Academic Network, a high-speed computer network serving the UK education and research community.
Popularity: Extremely popular in the mid-20th century (peaked in the 1950s in the U.S., especially 1954). Usage has declined significantly since the 1970s. The average living person named Janet today is around 67 years old.
