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Jan

Boy / Girl name · 647 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Jan: 647 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 28 births in 2018.

Jan is a name with a rich duality: in Scotland, it most commonly appears as a feminine short form of Janet or Janice, while across Europe—especially in Poland, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia—it stands as a masculine variant of John, ultimately from Hebrew Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." The Flemish painter Jan van Eyck, master of early Northern Renaissance oil painting, and the Czech diplomat Jan Masaryk are two notable bearers. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen was named after the Dutch whaler Jan Jacobszoon May van Schellinkhout. As a cross-cultural gem, Jan neatly bridges a familiar Scottish nickname with a strong international heritage, and its simple three-letter form has been popular for both genders—though in Scotland it remains far more common for girls.