Meaning & Story
A French given name, the French form of John, from the Hebrew Yochanan meaning "God is gracious" — Jean has been used for both men and women across French-speaking cultures with equal ease.
Jean carries the quiet dignity of a name that has dressed differently across centuries without losing its essential character. In France it is a classic masculine name; in English-speaking countries it became primarily feminine in the mid-20th century. On a pet, Jean has a pleasingly neutral, understated quality — not trying to impress, simply present and accounted for. It is a name chosen by people who value reliability over flash, and whose pets tend to live up to that same steady ideal.