Jean
Girl name · #2117 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Jean? In official American birth records, Jean has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Jean is currently the #2117 girl name in the United States — 88 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2646, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,455 girls born in 2025 was named Jean.
The 145-year story
Jean first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 59 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1927, when 12,512 girls were named Jean — good for #14 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 Jean per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jean against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jean in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jean is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Jean will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Jean is most common
State-level data for Jean is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Jean
Statistically, parents drawn to Jean tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Joan, Joann, Lois, Marion, and Judy.
JoanJoannLoisMarionJudyDorisNormaJames
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jean | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 88 | #2117 |
| 2024 | 75 | #2413 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 73 | #2463 |
| 2021 | 83 | #2233 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2341 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2090 |
| 2018 | 76 | #2387 |
| 2017 | 73 | #2464 |
| 2016 | 75 | #2446 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2646 |
| 2014 | 77 | #2371 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2726 |
| 2012 | 59 | #2901 |
| 2011 | 58 | #2945 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2614 |
| 2009 | 46 | #3512 |
| 2008 | 61 | #2887 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 73 | #2512 |
| 2005 | 80 | #2254 |
| 2004 | 77 | #2264 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2019 |
| 2002 | 87 | #2004 |
| 2001 | 112 | #1627 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jean?
In official American birth records, the name Jean first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 59 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jean a popular girl name?
Jean ranked #2117 among girls in 2025 with 88 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2646.
When was the name Jean most popular?
Jean peaked in 1927, when 12,512 American girls received the name (ranked #14 that year). Since 1927 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jean?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,455 newborn American girls was named Jean. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.