Meaning & Origin
A female given name from French.
Jean is a girl's and boy's baby name of French origin, a French feminine form of John, ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning "God is gracious." As a given name, Jean became particularly popular in Scotland and English-speaking countries throughout the 20th century.
Jean was a top 10 U.S. name in the 1920s through 1940s. Jean Harlow, the incandescent platinum-blonde actress, gave the name a glamorous Hollywood identity in the 1930s. Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier and writer Jean-Paul Sartre carry the French intellectual tradition. A name of elegant simplicity that speaks volumes in just one syllable.