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Janette

Girl name · 223 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Janette: 223 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 32 births in 1974.

Janette is a Scottish feminine diminutive of Jane, itself derived from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." The name became popular in Scotland as a vernacular form of Janet, with Janette representing a later, more elaborate version. Among its notable bearers was Janette Richer, a 19th-century Scottish missionary, and Janette Turner Hospital, the acclaimed Australian-born author. The name shares its gracious roots with the River Jan, a tributary of the Danube, though the etymological connection is distant. In Scotland, Janette enjoyed particular popularity in the mid-20th century, often used as a more formal counterpart to the diminutive Jan or Jenny. A charming variant is the French-influenced Jeannette, which adds a continental flourish to this enduring classic.