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At a Glance: Name: January – Meaning: named for the Roman god Janus, associated with beginnings and transitions – Origin: English (from the month name, ultimately Latin Iānuārius) – Gender: primarily used for girls – Pronunciation: JAN-yoo-air-ee
January takes its name straight from the month, which goes back to the Latin Iānuārius and the Roman god Janus, tied to beginnings and transitions. As an English name, it's about as literal as they come — it borrows the calendar word itself rather than adapting or shortening it. For a parent weighing it, that's the full picture: the meaning behind January runs through Janus and the idea of a new start, nothing more.
Meaning & Origin of January
Meaning: Named for the Roman god Janus, associated with beginnings and transitions.
Origin: English (from the month name, ultimately Latin Iānuārius).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce January
Phonetic: JAN-yoo-air-ee IPA: /ˈdʒænjuˌɛri/
Popularity of January
Looking at SSA records from 1951 to 2024, January had its strongest run in 1978, ranking #638 with 257 babies given the name. By 2024 it had dropped way down, to #9165 with just 11 babies.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1951–2024.
Make January Name Art
Free printable nursery art for January, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name January mean?
Named for the Roman god Janus, associated with beginnings and transitions. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/January)
How do you pronounce January?
January is pronounced JAN-yoo-air-ee (IPA: /ˈdʒænjuˌɛri/).
Is January a popular name right now?
January peaked at #638 in 1978 and is ranked #9165 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1951–2024.)
📊 How popular is January? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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