Jean
Jean is the French and Scottish feminine of John, from the Hebrew "Yochanan" — meaning "God is gracious." In France, Jean is the standard masculine form (the feminine is Jeanne), but in English, Jean has been used as a feminine name since the medieval period, particularly in Scotland. The name has been continuously popular in English for over 500 years. Jean was a top-50 American name from 1900 to 1945, peaking at #12 in 1927. The peak was so concentrated that Jean now reads as definitively early-mid-century. Jean Harlow (1911-1937), the original "blonde bombshell" of Hollywood, was the defining 1930s bearer. Jean Seberg (1938-1979), the actress who starred in Godard's "Breathless" (1960), gave the name a French New Wave dimension. I find Jean has a brisk, slightly old-fashioned quality — the single syllable is direct, and the "J" opening is firm. The name has been outside the US top 500 since 2003 but has too much history to disappear entirely. Jean is a female name of Hebrew (via French) origin that means "God is gracious (from John)". Brisk, old-fashioned, and direct. The name sounds plain. Jeans tend to be steady. US peaked #12 in 1927. Outside top 500 since 2003. Well-known people named Jean include Jean Harlow (actress), Jean Seberg (actress), Jean (French/Scottish feminine), Jean (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of Jean include Jeanne (French), Jane (English form), Joan (medieval English), Jeannie (nickname).