Jane
Jane is the English feminine of John, from the Hebrew "Yochanan" — "Yah" (God) and "chanan" (gracious). The name means "God is gracious." Jane entered English in the 16th century as the standard English feminine form of John (replacing Joan, which had been the medieval standard). The name has been continuously popular ever since. Jane has been in the US top 1000 every year since 1880. It was a top-50 name from 1910 to 1960, peaking at #36 in 1946. Jane Austen (1775-1817), the author of "Pride and Prejudice" (1813) and "Emma" (1815), is the most famous literary bearer — her novels shaped English literature. Jane Eyre, the heroine of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel, gave the name a romantic-gothic charge. I find Jane has a brisk, no-nonsense quality — the single syllable is direct, and the "J" opening is firm. The name sounds both literary and plain, which is exactly its strength. Jane has been climbing again — re-entering the US top 300 in 2015. Jane is a female name of Hebrew (via French) origin that means "God is gracious (from John)". Brisk, no-nonsense, and literary. The name sounds direct. Janes tend to be sharp. US top 50 from 1910-1960. Now top 300. Well-known people named Jane include Jane Austen (author), Jane Eyre (fictional), Jane Goodall (primatologist), Jane Fonda (actress). Common variations and related forms of Jane include Joan (medieval form), Jean (Scottish), Janet (diminutive), Janina (Italian).