Find out how popular the first name Janny has been for the last 49 years (from 1975 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Janny by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Janny is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 8 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Janny.

The history of the first name Janny

The name Janny has its origins in the ancient Germanic language of Old Dutch, derived from the word "Jehana" or "Jan", which means "God is gracious". It first emerged in the Netherlands and surrounding regions during the Middle Ages.

In medieval times, Janny was a diminutive form of the Dutch name Johanna, which itself was a feminine variation of the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "Graced by God". The spelling evolved over time, with variants like Jannie, Janni, and Janny becoming more common.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Janny is found in the 14th-century Dutch chronicle "Beka's Rijmkroniek", where it is mentioned as the name of a young woman from Utrecht. In the 15th century, a nun named Janny van Dordrecht is noted in the records of a convent in the city of Dordrecht.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Janny. In the 16th century, Janny van Eijck (1501-1572) was a Dutch artist and one of the earliest known female painters from the Netherlands. Janny van Balen (1604-1637) was a Flemish painter known for her still-life works during the Dutch Golden Age.

In the 19th century, Janny Sedova (1876-1955) was a Russian ballerina and choreographer who performed with the Imperial Russian Ballet. Janny Bruynseels (1890-1979) was a Belgian writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and prose.

In more recent times, Janny Wurts (born 1943) is an American author known for her fantasy and science fiction novels, including the popular "Wars of Light and Shadow" series.

While the name Janny has its roots in the Netherlands and surrounding regions, it has since spread to various parts of the world and continues to be used as a given name in various cultures and languages.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Janny was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Janny, please contact us.

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