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Name Lineage

    The first name January

    A girl’s name from Norman meaning “(month) of janus”, “janus”, “to go”.

    Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌɛɹi/ 4 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Norman origin

    January means “(month) of janus”, “janus”, “to go” in Norman.

    From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") + -ārius (adjectival suffix), with the first element perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeh₂- (“to go”). Doublet of Gennaro.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named January at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 9 girls born in the United States were named January, the 10,448th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1978, when 257 were.

    0150300 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,170
    babies named January since 1880
    #10,448
    rank in 2025
    1978
    peak year

    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.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named January

    1 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • January Jones
      American actress (born 1978)

    Questions

    What does the name January mean?
    January means “(month) of janus”, “janus”, “to go” in Norman.
    What is the origin of the name January?
    From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") + -ārius (adjectival suffix), with the first element perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeh₂-…
    Is January a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 2,170 US babies named January since 1880 were girls.
    When was January most popular?
    1978 in the United States, when 257 babies were named January, its highest rank at 638th.
    How do you pronounce January?
    January is /ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌɛɹi/, 4 syllables.
    What are other spellings of January?
    Jan.
    Is January also a surname?
    Yes. January is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.