Janice

Janice · proper noun¹

1. Hebrew · derived fromיוֹחָנָה
2. Koine Greek · derived fromἸωάννα
3. Latin · derived fromIōhannēs
4. Latin · derived fromIoanna
5. Medieval Latin · derived fromJohanna
6. Middle French · derived fromJehanne
7. French · derived fromJeanne
8. English todayJanice

Variant of Jane under apparent influence from Alice, Bernice, Eunice, etc., from French Jeanne, from Middle French Jehanne, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack and earlier use of Joan in the same role. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

Janice · proper noun²

Possibly an altered spelling of Jannis; see Janes.

Words from the same roots