Find out how popular the first name Jayne has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Jayne by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Jayne is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Jayne being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 64 female babies and 6 male babies born with the name Jayne.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 6 baby boys were named Jayne in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Jayne

The name Jayne is an English feminine name derived from the French name Jeanne, which itself originates from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious." The name Jeanne was popularized during the Middle Ages and was often associated with Joan of Arc, the famous French heroine who led the French army to victory against the English during the Hundred Years' War in the early 15th century.

The earliest recorded use of the name Jayne can be traced back to the late 16th century in England. It is believed that the spelling variation "Jayne" emerged as a way to distinguish the name from the more common "Jane" or "Jean" spellings.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Jayne was Jayne Eyre, the fictional protagonist of Charlotte Brontë's classic novel "Jane Eyre," published in 1847. The novel's popularity helped to further establish the name in English-speaking countries.

Throughout history, there have been several influential women with the name Jayne. Jayne Mansfield (1933-1967) was an American actress and one of the leading sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s. She starred in several popular films, including "The Girl Can't Help It" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"

Jayne Meadows (1919-2015) was an American actress and author, best known for her role as the wife of Steve Allen on television and her appearances on several game shows. She had a long and successful career in both film and television.

Jayne Torvill (born 1956) is a British ice dancer and former Olympic champion. Together with her partner Christopher Dean, she won the gold medal in ice dancing at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Jayne Heitmeyer (born 1960) is an American former professional tennis player who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 8 in the world in 1986. She won three singles titles and nine doubles titles on the WTA Tour.

Jayne Atkinson (born 1959) is an American actress best known for her roles in television series such as "24," "Criminal Minds," and "House of Cards." She has also appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout her career.

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 Jayne was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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