Jane is a feminine given name. It is the English form of Jehanne, the

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...

feminine form of Iohannes, a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

form of the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

name (Iōannēs), which is ultimately derived from the

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan), a short form of the name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehochanan), meaning "

Yahweh Yahweh *''Yahwe'', was the national god of ancient Israel and Judah. The origins of his worship reach at least to the early Iron Age, and likely to the Late Bronze Age if not somewhat earlier, and in the oldest biblical literature he poss ...

is merciful".Behind the Name
/ref> The name was first used in large numbers in the mid-16th century for the daughters of aristocrats as an alternative to the more commonplace Joan. The two names have alternated in popularity. In the early 19th century, Jane rose in popular use in association with its perceived glamour. Joan became more popular in the early to mid-20th century, when it was ranked in the top 500 most popular names given to girls in the United States, but it has again been displaced by Jane on the popularity charts in the 21st century.

Name variants

Alternate forms include: *Asia ( Polish,

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

) *Gianna (

) *Gianetta (

) *Giannetta (

) *Giannina (

) *Giovanna (

) *Hana (

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...

) *Janka ( Hungarian) *Hanne ( German) *Hannele (

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

) *Hannie (

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

) *Hansine ( German) *Hansje, Hanna, Hannie (

) *Ioana ( Romanian) *Ioanna (

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

) *Ionna (

) *Ionela ( Romanian) *Iva ( Slavic,

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

) *Ivana (

, Croatian) *Ivanna (

, Slavic) *Ivanka (

) *Ivanka (

, Slavic) *Jaana (

) *Jaapje (

) *Jana (

, Latvian, Polish, Slovak, Albanian) *Janae ( Modern American, English) *Janeczka ( Polish) *Jane ( Estonian) *Jane ( Circassian: Жьанэ and Джэнэ) *Jane ( Macedonian: Јане) *Janelle ( American) *Janes ( Danish,

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

) *Janet ( English, Scots) *Janete (

) *Janice ( English,

) *Janica (

) *Janina ( Polish) *Janine ( French, English,

) *Janka (

, Hungarian) *Janna (

, English,

) *Janne (

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

) *Janneke (

) *Janneth ( Scots) *Jannetje (

) *Jannie (

) *Jannike ( Scandinavian) *Janotje (

) *Jans (

) *Jansje (

) *Jante (

) *Jantina (

) *Jantine (

) *Jantje (

) *Januszy ( Slavic) *Jasia ( Polish) *Jayna ( English) *Jayne ( English) *Jean ( English, Scots) *Jeanette ( French) *Jeanna ( English) *Jeanne ( French) *Jeannie ( English, Scots) *Jehanne ( French) *Jenica ( Romanian) *Jenka (

) *Jenne (

) *Jennet ( Scots) *Jenni ( English) *Jennie ( English) *Jenny ( English) *Jenjira (

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

) *Jensine ( Danish,

) *Jerneese ( Puerto Rican) *Jinn ( Manx) *Jinty ( Scots) *Joan ( English, Manx) *Joana ( Catalan,

) *Joanka ( Polish) *Joanna ( English, Polish) *Joanne ( English) *Joannia ( Manx) *Joasia ( Polish) *Johana (

) *Johanka (

) *Johanna (

, Danish,

, German,

, Hungarian) *Jóhanna ( Icelandic) *Johanne ( Danish,

) *Johanneke (

) *Johna ( English) *Johnet ( Manx) *Johnna ( English) *Johnnie ( English) *Joan ( English) *Joina ( Danish) *Jóna ( Icelandic) *Jone (

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

) *Jonee ( Manx) *Joney ( Manx) *Jonie ( English) *Jovana ( sr, Јована) *Jovanka ( sr, Јованка) *Juana (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

) *Juanita (

) *Jutta ( German) *Kini ( Hawaiian) *Nana ( el, Νανα) *Oana ( Romanian) *Ohanna (

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

) *Seanna ( English) *Seini ( Tongan) *Seona ( Scots) *Seonag (

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

) *Seónaid (

) *Shana ( English) *Shauna ( English) *Shavonne ( English) *Shawn (

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

) *Shawna ( English) *Sheena ( Scots) *Shena (

) *Shona ( Scots) *Siân ( Welsh) *Siâni ( Welsh) *Sian (Irish Language) *Sina ( Irish Gaelic) *Sinéidin (

) *Síne ( Irish Gaelic) *Sinéad ( Irish Gaelic) *Síneag ( Scottish) *Siobhán ( Irish Gaelic) *Sion ( Welsh) *Sioned ( Welsh) *Siubhan (

) *Vanda (

) *Vanja ( Scandinavian, Slovenian) *Vanna (

) *Xoana ( Galician) *Yana (

),( Slavic) *Yanick ( Breton, French) *Yanna (

) *Yannic ( Breton, French) *Yannick ( Breton, French) *Yochanna (

) *Zaneta (

) *Žaneta ( Lithuanian) *Žanna ( Latvian) *Zhanna (

) *Zhannochka (russian: Жанночка) *Zsanett ( Hungarian)

People with this name

Arts

Jhane Barnes Jhane Barnes is an American designer of clothing, textiles, eyeglasses, carpets and furniture, and the owner of the ''Jhane Barnes'' fashion design company. Barnes is known for incorporating complex, mathematical patterns into her clothing desig ...

(born 1954), fashion designer ("h" added as adult) *

Jane Burden Jane Morris (née Burden; 19 October 1839 – 26 January 1914) was an English embroiderer in the Arts and Crafts movement and artists' model who embodied the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of beauty. She was a model and muse to her husband William ...

(1839–1914), pre-Raphaelite model and muse * Jane Antonia Cornish (born 1975), British Contemporary classical music composer * Jane Dyer (born 1949), children's book illustrator * Jane Frank (1918–1986), American artist * Jane Kelly (born 1956), artist and journalist

Crime

* Jane Andrews(born 1967), murderer of Tom Cressman * Jane Britton (1945–1969), female murder victim * Jane Cakebread (1830–1898), infamous drunkard; the Inebriates Act 1898 was directly due to her case *

Jane Toppan Jane Toppan (born Honora Kelley; March 31, 1854 – August 17, 1938), nicknamed Jolly Jane, was an American serial killer who is known to have committed twelve murders in Massachusetts between 1895 and 1901; she confessed to a total of thirt ...

(1854–1938), American serial killer, nicknamed "Jolly Jane"

Entertainment

* Jane Adams (born 1965), American actress *Jane "Poni" Adams (1921–2014), American actress *

Jane Asher Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946)The International Who's Who of Women, 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, 2002, p. 29 is an English actress and author. She achieved early fame as a child actress and has worked extensively in f ...

(born 1946), English actress and author *

Jane Avril Jane Avril (9 June 186817 January 1943) was a French can-can dancer made famous by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec through his paintings. Extremely thin, "given to jerky movements and sudden contortions", she was nicknamed ''La Mélinite'', after a ...

(1868–1943), French dancer *

Jane Badler Jane Badler (born December 31, 1953) is an American-Australian actress and singer. She is known for her role as Diana, the main antagonist in NBC's science fiction series '' V'' between 1983 and 1985. Badler also appeared in ABC's version of '' ...

(born 1953), actress * Jane Birkin (born 1946), actress and singer *

Jane Bryan Jane Bryan (born Jane O'Brien, June 11, 1918 – April 8, 2009) was an American actress groomed by Warner Bros. to become one of its leading ladies but she chose to retire from acting in 1940 at age 22, after which she became a philanthropist an ...

(1918–2009), American actress * Jane Campion (born 1954), New Zealand filmmaker *

Jane Curtin Jane Therese Curtin (born September 6, 1947) is an American actress and comedian. First coming to prominence as an original cast member on the hit TV comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for ...

(born 1947), American actress and comedian *

Jane Darwell Jane Darwell (born Patti Woodard; October 15, 1879 – August 13, 1967) was an American actress of stage, film, and television. With appearances in more than 100 major movies spanning half a century, Darwell is perhaps best remembered for her p ...

(1879–1967), American actress * Jane De Leon (born 1998), Filipina actress *

Jane de Wet Jane de Wet is a South African actress and dancer. Personal life De Wet is from Somerset West, Western Cape. She first discovered performing arts as a dancer in a recital at De Hoop Primary School. She matriculated at Parel Vallei High School a ...

(born 1996), South African actress * Jane Fonda (born 1937), American actress, former fitness instructor, and daughter of actor

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

* Jane Foole (fl. 1558), English court jester * Jane Garvey (born 1964), British radio presenter *

Jane Goldman Jane Loretta Anne Goldman''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 11 June 1970) is an English screenwriter, author and producer. With Matthew Vaughn, she co-wrote the screenplays of '' Kings ...

(born 1970), British writer and television presenter; wife of Jonathan Ross * Ellie Goulding (born 1986 as Elena Jane Goulding), British singer *

Jane Greer Jane Greer (born Bettejane Greer; September 9, 1924 – August 24, 2001) was an American film and television actress best known for her role as ''femme fatale'' Kathie Moffat in the 1947 film noir '' Out of the Past''. In 2009, ''The Guardian'' ...

(1924–2001), American actress * Jane Horrocks (born 1964), British actress * Jane Kaczmarek (born 1955), American actress *

Jane Krakowski Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four ...

(born 1968), American actress * Jane Lapotaire (born 1944), English actress *

Jane Leeves Jane Elizabeth Leeves (born 18 April 1961) is an English actress. Leeves played Daphne Moon on the NBC television sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 until 2004, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She also played ...

(born 1961), English actress *

Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series '' Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recog ...

(born 1960), American actress *

Jane March Jane March Horwood (born 20 March 1973) is an English film actress and former model. Early life and education March was born Jane March Horwood in Edgware, London. Her father, Bernard Horwood, was a design and technology secondary school teac ...

(born 1973), English actress * Nightbirde (1990–2022) (also known as Jane Marczewski), American singer * Jane McDonald (born 1963), English singer and television star * Jane McGrath (born 1988), Irish actress * Jane McGregor (born 1983), Canadian actress *

Jane Monheit Jane Monheit (born November 3, 1977"Jane Monheit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 33. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2001. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 2017-05-07.) is an American jazz and pop singer. Early life Monheit was bo ...

(born 1977), American singer * Jane Novak (1896–1990), American actress *

Jane Pickens Jane Pickens Hoving (10 August 1907 – 21 February 1992)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 216-217. was an American singer on ...

(1907–1992), American singer and leader of The Pickens Sisters * Jane Powell (1929–2021), American actress, singer and dancer *

Jane Rosenthal Jane Rosenthal (born September 21, 1956) is an American film producer.

(born 1956), American film producer *

Jane Russell Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, singer, and model. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s. She starred in more than 20 films. Russell moved from th ...

(1921–2011), American actress and sex symbol *

Jane Seymour Jane Seymour (c. 150824 October 1537) was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII of England from their marriage on 30 May 1536 until her death the next year. She became queen following the execution of Henry's second wife, Anne ...

(born 1951), English actress * Jane Sibbett (born 1962), American actress * Jane Siberry (born 1955), Canadian singer/songwriter, has changed her name to "Issa" * Jane Taylor (born 1972), English musician *

Jane Wiedlin Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin (born May 20, 1958) is an American musician and singer, best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the new wave band The Go-Go's. She has also had a successful solo career. The Go-Go's w ...

(born 1958), American singer and rhythm guitarist, sometime member of the Go-Go's * Jane Winton (1905–1959), American actress, writer, dancer, painter and opera soprano * Jane Withers (1926–2021), American actress, model and singer * Jane Wyatt (1910–2006), American actress *

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

(1917–2007), American actress and ex-wife of President Ronald Reagan *

Jane Zhang Jane Zhang (; born October 11, 1984) is a Chinese singer-songwriter. She is known for her signature whistle register and has been dubbed the " Dolphin Princess" (). Zhang began performing as a teenager by singing in pubs to help earn money for ...

(born 1984), Chinese singer-songwriter

History

Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Lat ...

(1852–1903), U.S. frontierswoman * Jane Addams (1860–1935), American Nobel Peace Prize-winning social worker and co-founder of Hull House * Jane Kelley Adams (1852-1924), American educator * Jane Grace Alexander (1848-1932), American banker * Jane Digby (1807–1881), English adventurer *

Jane Franklin Jane, Lady Franklin (née Griffin; 4 December 1791 – 18 July 1875) was the second wife of the English explorer Sir John Franklin. During her husband's period as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land, she became known for her philanthropic ...

(née Griffin; 1791–1875), English explorer * Jane Horney (1918–1945), Swedish spy during WWII * Jane Roe, alias of Norma McCorvey (1947–2017), plaintiff in the landmark 1973 ''Roe v. Wade'' Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States

Literature

* Jane Austen (1775–1817), British novelist, known for ''Emma'' and ''Pride and Prejudice'' * Jane Bowles (1917–1973), American writer and playwright * Jane T. H. Cross (1817–1870), American author * Jane Louise Curry (born 1932), American writer * Jane Eaton Hamilton (born 1954), Canadian author * Jane Hamilton (born 1957), American author * Jane Harvey (writer) (1771–1848) British poet and novelist *

Jane Jacobs Jane Jacobs (''née'' Butzner; 4 May 1916 – 25 April 2006) was an American-Canadian journalist, author, theorist, and activist who influenced urban studies, sociology, and economics. Her book '' The Death and Life of Great American Cities ...

(1916–2006), American-Canadian journalist, author, and urban theorist *

Jane Lindskold Jane M. Lindskold is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels. Early life Jane M. Lindskold was born on 15 September 1962, and grew up in Washington, D.C., and the Chesapeake Bay area. Jane is the first of fo ...

(born 1962), American author *

Jane Roberts Dorothy Jane Roberts (May 8, 1929 – September 5, 1984) was an American author, poet, psychic, and spirit medium, who channeled a personality who called himself "Seth." Her publication of the Seth texts, known as the ''Seth Material'', estab ...

(1929–1984), American author, poet, psychic, and spirit medium * Jane Smiley (born 1949), American novelist * Jane Agnes Stewart (1860-1944), American author, editor, and contributor to periodicals *

Jane Suiter Jane Suiter is an Irish political scientist, professor and director of Dublin City University's Institute for Future Media, Democracy, and Society ("FuJo") and research lead of Ireland's Constitutional Convention and the Citizens' Assembly. S ...

, Irish journalist and academic * Jane Taylor (1783–1824), English poet and novelist *

Jane Urquhart Jane Urquhart, LL.D (born June 21, 1949) is a Canadian novelist and poet. She is the internationally acclaimed author of seven award-winning novels, three books of poetry and numerous short stories. As a novelist, Urquhart is well known for her e ...

(born 1949), Canadian novelist and poet *

Jane Wilde Jane Francesca Agnes, Lady Wilde (née Elgee; 27 December 1821 – 3 February 1896) was an Irish poet under the pen name Speranza and supporter of the nationalist movement. Lady Wilde had a special interest in Irish folktales, which she help ...

(1821–1896), Irish poet under the pen name Speranza * Jane Wilde Hawking (born 1944), ex-wife of Stephen Hawking * Jane Yolen (born 1939), American author

News media

* Jane Elliott (born 1933), American civil rights activist, known for "Blue eyes–Brown eyes" exercise. *

Jane Grant Jane Grant (May 29, 1892 – March 16, 1972) was a New York City journalist who co-founded ''The New Yorker'' with her first husband, Harold Ross. Life and career Jane Grant was born Jeanette Cole Grant in Joplin, Missouri, and grew up and w ...

(1892–1972) American journalist * Jane Hill (born 1969), British newsreader * Jane Kramer (born 1938), American journalist * Jane Pauley (born 1950), American television journalist *

Jane Pratt Jane Pratt (born November 11, 1962) is the founding editor of '' Sassy'', ''Jane and'' xoJane. She is the host of the talk show ''Jane Radio'' on Sirius XM Radio. Early life Jane Pratt was born in San Francisco, California, to Sheila Marks Blake ...

(born 1962), American magazine editor and publisher

Politics

Jane Harman Jane Margaret Lakes Harman (born June 28, 1945) is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1993 to 1999, and from 2001 to 2011; she is a member of the Democratic Party. Harman was the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committ ...

(born 1945), member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 36th congressional district * Jane Irwin Harrison (1804–1845), first lady of the United States * Jane Hill (born 1936), Australian politician *

Jenny (Jane) Kenney Jane "Jenny" Kenney (1884–1961) also known as Jennie, was a British suffragette and Montessori teacher, who supported her sisters Annie Kenney and Jessie Kenney in the Women's Social and Political Union. She later became joint principal of an ...

(1884–1961) also known as Jennie, British suffragette and Montessori teacher *

Jane Muskie Jane Frances Muskie (''née'' Gray; February 12, 1927 – December 25, 2004) was an American civic leader and writer who, as the wife of Edmund Muskie, served as First Lady of Maine from 1955 to 1959. She was an active campaigner for her husband, ...

(1927–2004), First Lady of Maine *

Jane Pierce Jane Means Pierce (née Appleton; March 12, 1806 – December 2, 1863) was the wife of Franklin Pierce and the first lady of the United States from 1853 to 1857. She married Franklin Pierce, then a Congressman, in 1834 despite her family's misgiv ...

(1806–1863), first lady of the United States from 1853 to 1857 *Florence Jane Short (aka Rachel Peace) (1881 – ''died after'' 1932), British feminist and suffragette * Jane Swift (born 1965), American politician, acting governor of Massachusetts from 2001-2003 *

Jane Lomax-Smith Jane Diane Lomax-Smith, AM (born 19 June 1950, in the United Kingdom) is an Australian politician and histopathologist who has been the Lord Mayor of the City of Adelaide since 14 November 2022. She was previously in local government for nine ...

, Australian politician

Religion

* Jane Elizabeth Faulding (1843–1904), British Protestant Christian missionary *

Jane Frances de Chantal Jane Frances de Chantal, VHM (born Jeanne-Françoise Frémyot, Baronness of Chantal; 28 January 1572 – 13 December 1641) was a French Catholic noble widow and nun who was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767. She founded the Order of the Vis ...

(1572–1641), French saint

Royalty and nobility

Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford (''née'' Jane Parker; c. 1505 – 13 February 1542), was an English noblewoman. Her husband, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, was the brother of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. Jane had been ...

(1505–1542) * Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes (born 1957) * Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554), Queen of England, also known as "Jane of England" *

Jane Lane, Lady Fisher Jane Lane (c. 1626 – 9 September 1689) played a heroic role in the escape of Charles II in 1651 after the Battle of Worcester. She rode with Charles, disguised as her servant, from Staffordshire to Somerset. Origins Jane was the daughter of Th ...

(1626–1689), played a heroic role in the escape of Charles II in 1651 * Jane Loeau (1828–1873), Hawaiian noble lady *

(1508–1537), Queen and wife of King Henry VIII of England *

Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill Royal Order of Victoria and Albert, VA (''née'' Conyngham; 1 June 1826 – 24 December 1900) was an English aristocrat and companion of Queen Victoria. From 1854 to her death, Churchill served as a Lady of ...

(1826–1900) *

Jane Wharton, 7th Baroness Wharton Lady Jane Wharton (1706–1761), considered ''de jure'' 7th Baroness Wharton, was the daughter of Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton by his second wife Lucy Loftus, and sister of Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton. Lady Jane married first ...

(1706–1761)

Science

* Jane Ammons (born 1953), American industrial engineer * Jane Colden (1724–1766), American botanist * Jane Forer Gentleman (born 1940), American and Canadian statistician *

Jane Goodall Dame Jane Morris Goodall (; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on 3 April 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is an English primatologist and anthropologist. Seen as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best kn ...

(born 1934), English primatologist, known for studying chimpanzees and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute * Jane Lord Hersom (1840–1928), American physician, suffragist * Jane Hutton, British statistician *

Jane Loevinger Jane Loevinger Weissman (February 6, 1918 – January 4, 2008) was an American developmental psychologist who developed a theory of personality which emphasized the gradual internalization of social rules and the maturing conscience for the origi ...

(1918–2008), American developmental psychologist * Jane Luu (born 1963), Vietnamese-American astronomer and defense systems engineer * Jane McGrath (1966–2008), co-founder of the McGrath Foundation

Sport

* Jane Barkman (born 1951), American swimmer * Jane Burley (born 1971), Scottish field hockey midfielder * Jane Cederqvist (born 1945), Swedish swimmer *

Jane Frederick Jane Wardell Frederick (born April 7, 1952) is a former heptathlete from the United States. She set the first official world record in the women's heptathlon, gaining a total number of 6104 points on April 24, 1981, at the Mt. SAC Relays in Waln ...

(born 1952), American heptathlete * Jane Haist (born 1949), Canadian discus thrower and shot putter *

Jane Joseph Jane Marian Joseph (31 May 1894 – 9 March 1929) was an English composer, arranger and music teacher. She was a pupil and later associate of the composer Gustav Holst, and was instrumental in the organisation and management of various of ...

, Trinidadian cricketer *

Jane Katz Jane Katz (born 1943) is an educator, author, and world-class former Olympic competitive and long-distance swimmer. She has been awarded the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur Certificate of Merit (2000) and the Lifetime Achievement A ...

(born 1943), American swimmer * Jane Patterson, Canadian judoka * Jane Salumäe (born 1968), Estonian long-distance runner * Jayne Torvill (born 1957), British ice-dancer and 1984 Olympic gold medalist with partner Christopher Dean * Jane Weiller (1912–1989), American golfer

Fictional Janes

In law

Jane Doe or Jane Roe is used in American law as a placeholder name for anonymous or unknown female participants in legal proceedings Jane Doe is used in United States police investigations when the identity of a female victim is unknown or incorrect, and by hospitals to refer to a female corpse or patient whose identity is unknown.

Characters in animation

* Jane Doe, on the animated series '' Camp Lazlo'' *Jane Jetson, from the animated series ''

The Jetsons ''The Jetsons'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It originally aired in prime time from September 23, 1962, to March 17, 1963, on ABC, then later aired in reruns via syndication, with new episodes produced ...

'' * Jane Lane, on the television show ''Daria'' * Jane Dickey, on the short-lived series ''

Welcome to Eltingville ''Welcome to Eltingville'' is an American adult animated comedy pilot created by Evan Dorkin, as an adaptation of his comic book series '' Eltingville''. It premiered in the United States on March 3, 2002, on Cartoon Network's late night programm ...

Comic book characters

* Jane Foster, a Marvel Comics character * Painkiller Jane, a comic book character that spawned a made-for-TV movie and a TV series

Characters in literature

* Jane, an AI character first introduced in Orson Scott Card's ''Speaker for the Dead'' *Jane of the Volturi Coven, a character in the ''

Twilight Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this i ...

'' series of novels by Stephenie Meyer *Jane Crocker, a character in the webcomic ''

Homestuck ''Homestuck'' is an Internet fiction series created by American author and artist Andrew Hussie in the first half of the 2010s. The fourth and best-known of Hussie's four ''MS Paint Adventures'', it originally ran from April 13, 2009 to April ...

'' by Andrew Hussie * Dick and Jane, characters by Zerna Sharp * Jane, an entity resembling modern conceptions of AI, from the ''Ender's Game'' series * Jane, in '' Jane and the Dragon'' franchise * Jane, any of three characters in ''The P.L.A.I.N. Janes'', 2007 comic & sequels, by Cecil Castellucci *Jane, Wendy Darling's daughter from J.M. Barrie's

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

mythos; Jane was also the central character in the Disney ''Peter Pan'' movie sequel, ''Return to Neverland'' *Jane Banks, one of the Banks' children in the ''Mary Poppins'' books, film, and stage musical *Jane Bennet, in ''Pride and Prejudice'', the eldest sister of the Bennet family * Jane Eyre, the titular character of a famous novel by Charlotte Brontë and several film adaptations * Jane Gallagher, a character in '' The Catcher in the Rye'', one of the few girls whom Holden both respects and finds attractive * Baby Jane Hudson, the titular character in the novel and film ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' *

Miss Marple Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of Ch ...

(first name Jane), an amateur detective created by Agatha Christie *

Jane Porter Jane Porter (3 December 1775 – 24 May 1850) was an English historical novelist, dramatist and literary figure. Her bestselling novels, ''Thaddeus of Warsaw'' (1803) and ''The Scottish Chiefs'' (1810) are seen as among the earliest historical ...

, the sweetheart of Tarzan * Jayne Deverill, a Yorkshire witch in the ''Power of Five'' series by Anthony Horowitz * Jane Studdock, protagonist in ''That Hideous Strength'' by C.S. Lewis

Characters in TV, film, and theater

* Jane, on ''7th Heaven'' *Jane Sloan, from the TV series ''The Bold Type'' *Jane Christie, from the TV series ''

Coupling A coupling is a device used to connect two shafts together at their ends for the purpose of transmitting power. The primary purpose of couplings is to join two pieces of rotating equipment while permitting some degree of misalignment or end mov ...

'' *

Jane Beale Lesley Jane Beale (also Clarke and Collins) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Laurie Brett. She made her first appearance on 22 June 2004. Brett took maternity leave in 2011 and departed on 19 May. Sh ...

(previously Collins), from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Jayne Cobb, a male character on the sci-fi series ''Firefly'' *'' G.I. Jane'', a 1997 war movie, with Demi Moore in the leading role * Jane Mancini, on ''Melrose Place'' and the 2009 remake * Jane Vaughn, in ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' * Jane Gloriana Villanueva, main character of television series ''Jane the Virgin'' *Jane Margolis, in the television series ''Breaking Bad'' *Jane Rizzoli, in the television series '' Rizzoli & Isles'' *Jane Hopper, also known as Eleven, a main character in the Netflix series '' Stranger Things'' * Jane Read, character in the ''Arthur'' book and television series

Characters in video games

*Jane, a minor female character in the ''Tekken'' video game series *Jane Shepard, a playable female version of Commander Shepard in the role-playing third-person shooter ''Mass Effect'' series; "Jane Shepard" is the default name for any new female Shepard character that is built in-game, although any name can be entered *Jane Doe, a male character most commonly known as "The Soldier" in the popular class-based shooter game '' Team Fortress 2''

In technology

* Jane, an available voice on devices from TomTom

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jane (Given Name) Given names of Hebrew language origin Circassian feminine given names English feminine given names Scottish feminine given names Welsh feminine given names