Jana
Girl name · #1241 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Jana? In official American birth records, Jana has been tracked continuously since 1921, giving it 104 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 181 baby girls were named Jana, placing it at #1241 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1007, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,945 girls born in 2025 was named Jana.
The 104-year story
Jana first appears in the Social Security records in 1921, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 1,456 girls were named Jana — good for #226 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jana per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jana against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jana in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jana is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jana will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jana is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jana is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Jana is most common in IL (0.3 per 1,000), NY (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jana is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Jana
Statistically, parents drawn to Jana tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dana, Rena, Dina, Rana, and Gina.
DanaRenaDinaRanaGinaCarlaJannaSusanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jana | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 181 | #1241 |
| 2024 | 171 | #1334 |
| 2023 | 200 | #1199 |
| 2022 | 214 | #1138 |
| 2021 | 228 | #1089 |
| 2020 | 234 | #1059 |
| 2019 | 237 | #1065 |
| 2018 | 269 | #982 |
| 2017 | 292 | #915 |
| 2016 | 301 | #915 |
| 2015 | 266 | #1007 |
| 2014 | 229 | #1110 |
| 2013 | 244 | #1021 |
| 2012 | 238 | #1055 |
| 2011 | 213 | #1150 |
| 2010 | 242 | #1030 |
| 2009 | 239 | #1068 |
| 2008 | 226 | #1137 |
| 2007 | 247 | #1059 |
| 2006 | 245 | #1045 |
| 2005 | 252 | #970 |
| 2004 | 250 | #958 |
| 2003 | 218 | #1049 |
| 2002 | 254 | #887 |
| 2001 | 235 | #940 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jana?
In official American birth records, the name Jana first appeared in 1921 (over 104 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 104 years.
Is Jana a popular girl name?
Jana ranked #1241 among girls in 2025 with 181 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1007.
When was the name Jana most popular?
Jana peaked in 1961, when 1,456 American girls received the name (ranked #226 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jana?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,945 newborn American girls was named Jana. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.