The first name Jana
A girl’s name from Czech meaning “god is gracious”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Czech origin
Jana means “god is gracious” in Czech.
From Czech Jana, ultimately from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack and earlier use of Joan in the same role. Doublet of Ivana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.
More names that mean grace.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 54 girls were named Jana, making it the 684th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 61 births (#673).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Jana with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Jana at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 181 girls born in the United States were named Jana, the 1,247th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1961, when 1,456 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Jana
54 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Jana NovotnáCzech tennis player (1968–2017)
- Jana CovaCzech pornographic actress, born 1980
- Jana PittmanAustralian sprinter, hurdler, and bobsledder (born 1982)
- Jana FettCroatian female tennis player, born 1996
- Jana BrejchováCzech actress (1940–2026)
- Jana KramerAmerican singer and actress, born 1983
- Jana TicháCzech astronomer, born 1965
- Jana ČernochováCzech politician, born 1973
- Jana SorgersEast German rower, born 1967
- Jana PallaskeGerman actress and singer, born 1979
- Jana ToomEstonian politician (born 1966)
- Jana BellinCzech chess player, born 1947
Questions
- What does the name Jana mean?
- Jana means “god is gracious” in Czech.
- What is the origin of the name Jana?
- From Czech Jana, ultimately from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack and earlier use of Joan in the…
- How popular is the name Jana?
- In 2025, 54 girls born in England and Wales were named Jana, ranking 684th. Its peak was 2017, with 61 births.
- Is Jana a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 46,223 US babies named Jana since 1880 were girls.
- When was Jana most popular?
- 1961 in the United States, when 1,456 babies were named Jana, its highest rank at 226th.