Etymology

jane

J8A1N1E1

Today it means: used as a placeholder name for any woman, especially a young working-class woman Full definition →

Old French Jannes
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jane · noun1

  1. Old French · derived fromJannes“Genoa”
  2. English todayjane

From Old French Jannes (“Genoa”).

jane · noun2

Alternative forms.

Jane · proper noun, noun3

  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 todayJane

Variant of Jeanne, 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 Gianna, Ivana, Jana, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

Words from the same roots

Old FrenchJannes all →

Middle FrenchJehanne all →

Medieval LatinJohanna all →

LatinIoanna all →

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.