Jacqueline is a given name, the French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world. Older forms and variant spellings were sometimes given to men.

Origins

Jacqueline comes from French, as the feminine form of Jacques (English James). Jacques originated from

Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...

, which is derived from the

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

Variant and diminutive forms

Many variants in both spelling and pronunciation of the name Jacqueline have come into use, such as Jacquelyn, Jackeline, Jaclyn, Jakelin, Jackielyn, Jacklyn, and Jaqueline. The

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

for Jacqueline is Jac, Jack, Jackie, Jaque or Jacqui, which also has many variants.

American usage

Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut was a famous early bearer of the name. She was the subject of the 1831 popular historical novel '' Jacqueline of Holland'' by Irish novelist Thomas Colley Grattan. The name was in rare, occasional use in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

in the 1800s. It first appeared among the 1,000 most used names for American newborn girls in 1898 and reached peak usage in 1950, when it was the 55th most popular name given to American girls. It was regarded by American parents as a feminine version of the name Jack. The name then declined in use by the late 1950s, but increased again in popularity in the early 1960s due to the fame of

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...

, née Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, often referred to as Jackie Kennedy following her marriage to U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The name was ranked 111th in 1959 and 37th in 1961, the year President Kennedy took office. The name also experienced another surge in popularity in 1964 following the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963 and Jackie Kennedy’s display of

dignity Dignity is a human's contentment attained by satisfying physiological needs and a need in development. The content of contemporary dignity is derived in the new natural law theory as a distinct human good. As an extension of the Enlightenment- ...

and

strength Strength may refer to: Personal trait *Physical strength, as in people or animals *Character strengths like those listed in the Values in Action Inventory *The exercise of willpower Physics * Mechanical strength, the ability to withstand ...

as his grieving

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...

. Other media influences have also inspired increased usage of the name. Usage of the spelling variant Jaclyn increased after actress Jaclyn Smith began appearing on the American television series ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

'' from 1976 to 1981. Usage of the spelling variant Jacklyn increased after actress Jacklyn Zeman began appearing on the American

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...

''. Usage of the name Jacqueline increased among

Hispanic and Latino Americans Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans who have a Spaniards, Spanish or Latin Americans, Latin American background, culture, or family origin. This demographic group includes all Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino (demonym), ...

after it was used for a teenage character on the popular Mexican

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...

'' Soñadoras'', which was also widely viewed in the United States.

World usage

Jacqueline has also been a popular first name in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, Spain, and elsewhere. While the popularity of the name and its variants has declined worldwide, it remains in regular use.

Transliterations

Amharic Amharic is an Ethio-Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is spoken as a first language by the Amhara people, and also serves as a lingua franca for all other metropolitan populati ...

: ጃክሊን (Jakilīni) *

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: جاكلين *

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 around the ...

: Ժագլին, Ժաքլինը (Zhak’liny) * Bangla: জ্যাকুলিন (Jyākulina) * Bulgarian: Жаклин, Zhaklina *

Simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...

: Jiékuílín, 杰奎琳 *

Traditional Chinese A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...

: Jiékuílín, 賈桂琳 *

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

: 積琦蓮 * Croatian: Jaklina *

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 *Czech (surnam ...

: Jakubka, Jakuba * Danish: Jacobine, Bine, Iben * Dutch: Jacoba, Jacobina, Jacobine, Coba, Jacomina * French: Jacquette, Jacquetta, Jacqui, Jacquine, Jaquette * Galician: Xaquelina * Georgian: ჟაკლინ (Zhaklin) *

Greek Greek may refer to: 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 of all kno ...

: Iakovina (Ιακωβινα) * Gujarati: Jēkvēlina (જેક્વેલિન) *

: ז'קלין, ג'קלין, ג'קי *

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

: Jaikalina, जैकलिन * Hungarian: Zsaklin *

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

: Giachetta, Giacomina, Giacoma * Irish: Séamaisíona, Seacailín, Siacailín * *

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

: Jākvelin, ಜಾಕ್ವೆಲಿನ್ * Korean: Jaekeullin, 재클린 *

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: Iacoba * Lithuanian: Žaklina * Macedonian: Жаклина (Quaklin) *

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

: ജാക്വലിൻ (Jākvalin) * Marathi: जॅकलिन (Jĕkalina) * Mongolian: Жаклин ( Jaklin) * Nepali: जैकलिन (Jaikalina) * Polish: Jakubina, Żaklina, Żaklin * Persian: ژاکلین * Portuguese: Jaqueline * Punjabi: Jaikalīna, ਜੈਕਲੀਨ * Russian: Zhaklin, Яковина, Якубина, Жаклин * Serbian: Жаклина, Žaklin * Scottish: Jamesina * Spanish: Jacoba *

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

: Jākkuliṉ, ஜாக்குலின், Jākki ஜாக்கி * Telugu: Jākvelin, జాక్వెలిన్, Jākī జాకీ * Thai: Cæ̆kh ke x līn, แจ๊คเกอลีน * Ukrainian: Zhaklin, Жаклін * Welsh: Jacelin *

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

: Jaklin, דזשאַקלין, Jackye דזשאַקקיע

Notable people

Television, stage, and film

* Jacqueline Beer (born 1932), former actress and present chair of the Board of Directors of the Thor Heyerdahl Research Centre *

Jacqueline Bisset Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in ''The Detective (1968 film), The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet ...

(born 1944), British actress * Jacqueline Boatswain (born 1962), English actress * Jacqueline Bracamontes (born 1979), Mexican actress * Jackie Brambles (born 1967), British television presenter * Jacqueline Brookes (1930-2013), American stage actress * Jacqueline Fernandez (born 1985), Bahraini–Sri Lankan actress and model * Jacqueline Ellen Last O'Neil Henderson (born 1975), Australian radio host known as "Jackie O" * Jacqueline "Jackie" Emerson, American actress * Jacqueline (Jackée) Harry (born 1956), American actress * Jacqueline Hennessy (born 1968), Canadian actress and singer * Jacqueline Hill (1929-1993), British actress * Jacqueline Jossa (born 1992), English actress *

Jacqueline Kim Jacqueline Joan Kim is an American writer, actress, filmmaker, and composer. She was nominated for a FIND Independent Spirit award for Best Supporting Actress in the film '' Charlotte Sometimes''. Early life Kim was born in March 31, 1970, i ...

, Korean-American actress best known for the role of Lao Ma in the television series ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' * Jacqueline Laurence (1932–2024), French-born Brazilian actress and theatre director * Jacqueline Leonard, Scottish actress * Jacqueline Logan (1902-1983), American silent film actress *

Jacqueline McKenzie Jacqueline Susan McKenzie (born 24 October 1967) is an Australian film and stage actress. Early life Born in Sydney, New South Wales, McKenzie attended Wenona School in North Sydney, New South Wales, North Sydney until 1983 then moved to Pymb ...

(born 1967), Australian actress * Jacquelyn Mills, Canadian documentary filmmaker * Jacqueline Obradors (born 1966), American actress * Jacqueline Pagnol (1920-2016), French actress * Jacqueline Pearce (1943-2018), British actress * Jacqueline Pillon (born 1977), voice actress best known for the role of Matthew in the PBS cartoon series ''CyberChase'' * Jacqueline Royaards-Sandberg (1876–1976), Dutch actress * Jacqueline Scott (1931–2020), American actress * Jaclyn Smith (born 1945), American actress and businesswoman * Jacqueline Toboni (born 1992), American actress * Jacqueline Wu (born 1968), Hong Kong actress

Sports

* Jacqueline Batteast (born 1983), US basketball player * Jacqueline Delord (born 1970), French swimmer * Jackie Silva (born 1962), Brazilian beach volleyball player * Jackie Gayda (born 1981), American semi-retired professional wrestler * Jackie Joyner-Kersee (born 1962), American retired track and field athlete *

Jacqueline Moore Jacqueline DeLois Moore (born January 6, 1964) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and Manager (professional wrestling), professional wrestling manager. She is currently signed to WWE under a legends contract. Moore also ...

(born 1964), American semi-retired professional wrestler * Jacqueline Perkins (born 1965), Australian long-distance runner * Jacquie Phelan (born 1955), American professional mountain bike champion * Jacqueline Pusey (born 1959), Jamaican sprint athlete * Jacqueline Todten (born 1954), German javelin thrower

Literature

* Jacqueline Bishop, Jamaican writer, visual artist and photographer * Jacqueline Briskin (1927-2014), writer * Jacqueline "Jackie" French (born 1953), Australian children's writer * Jacqueline Jackson (born 1944), author and peace activist *

Jacqueline Susann Jacqueline Susann (August 20, 1918 – September 21, 1974) was an American novelist and actress. Her novel ''Valley of the Dolls (novel), Valley of the Dolls'' (1966) is one of the List of best-selling books, best-selling books in publishing his ...

(1918-1974), American writer * Jacqueline Wilson (born 1945), English novelist * Jacqueline Woodson (born 1963), American writer

Music

Jacqueline Boyer Eliane Ducos (born 23 April 1941), known professionally as Jacqueline Boyer (), is a French singer and actress. She is also the daughter of performers Jacques Pills and Lucienne Boyer. In Eurovision Song Contest 1960, 1960, she won the Eurovis ...

(born 1941), French singer and actress * Jacqueline "Jacky" Clark Chisholm (born 1948), American singer *

Jacqueline du Pré Jacqueline may refer to: People * Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name * Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler Arts and entertainment * ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film) ...

(1945-1987), British cellist * Jacqueline Marie "Jackie" Evancho (born 2000), American classical crossover singer *

Jacqueline Govaert Jacqueline Govaert (; born 20 April 1982) is a Dutch singer, songwriter, and pianist. She is best known as the leader of Dutch band Krezip. After Krezip disbanded in 2009, Govaert started a solo music career. She released her debut album ''Good ...

(born 1982), Dutch singer * Jacqueline Sagana (born 1984), known as Jackie Sagana, Spanish R&B singer * Jacqueline Taïeb (born 1948), French singer

Science

* Jacqueline Barton (born 1952), American chemist * Jacqueline Beggs (born 1962), New Zealand entomologist and ecologist * Jakelin Caal (2011-2018), Guatemalan immigrant child who died while under the care of US border control * Jacqueline Chen, American applied mathematician and mechanical engineer * Jacqueline Coutras (born 1942), French geographer, CNRS researcher, and pioneer of gender geography in France * Jacqueline Dewar, American mathematician * Jacqueline McGlade (born 1955), British-born Canadian environmental scientist * Jacqueline Noonan (1928–2020), American pediatric cardiologist

Other people

* Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut (1401–1436) *

Jacqueline Felice de Almania Jacqueline Felice de Almania (· ), () was reportedly from Florence, Italy. She was an early 14th-century French physician in Paris, France who was placed on trial in 1322 for unlawful practice. Career Jacqueline was born into a prominent French ...

(), Italian physician * Jacqueline Auriol, (1917–2000), French aviator * Jacqueline Bishop, Jamaican writer, visual artist and photographer * Jacqueline Bracamontes, beauty pageant titleholder * Jacqueline Cochran (1906–1980), American aviator and business executive, first woman pilot to break the sound barrier and head of the Women Airforce Service Pilots for part of World War II *

Jacqueline de Jong Jacqueline Beatrice de Jong (3 February 1939 – 29 June 2024) was a Dutch painter, sculptor, and graphic artist. Biography Early life and escape (1939–1957) De Jong was born in the Dutch town of Enschede, where her father, Hans, owned ...

(1939–2024), Dutch painter, sculptor and graphic artist *

, (1929–1994), widow of US President John F. Kennedy and Aristotle Onassis * Jakelin de Mailly, a Frankish knight (male) who took part in the

Battle of Cresson The Battle of Cresson was a small battle between Frankish and Ayyubid forces on 1 May 1187 at the "Spring of the Cresson." While the exact location of the spring is unknown, it is located in the environs of Nazareth. The conflict was a prelude ...

in 1187 * Jacqueline Aguilera Marcano (born 1976), 1995 Miss World representative of Venezuela * Jacqueline Panis (born 1948), French politician * Jacqueline Perkins (diplomat), British diplomat and ambassador * Jacqueline de Quattro (born 1960), Swiss politician * Jacqueline Ripstein, Mexican artist * Jacqueline Saburido, victim and survivor of a high-profile drunk-driving incident *

Jacqui Smith Jacqueline Jill Smith, Baroness Smith of Malvern (born 3 November 1962), is a British politician, broadcaster and life peer who has been serving as Minister of State for Skills since 2024. A member of the Labour Party, she was Member of Pa ...

(born 1962), British politician, former Home Secretary * Jackie Stallone (1921–2020), American astrologer, mother of actor Sylvester Stallone and singer Frank Stallone * Jacqueline Thomas (1945-1961), victim in a high-profile 1960s English murder case * Jakelin Troy (born 1960), Australian linguist * Jacqueline Grennan Wexler (1926-2012), American Roman Catholic nun and university president * Jacqueline Winsor (1941–2024), Newfoundland-born American sculptor

Fictional characters

* Jacqueline Ingrid Bouvier, TV cartoon character on ''The Simpsons'' * Jacqueline Beulah Burkhart, character from ''That '70s Show'' * Jacqueline "Jacqui" Bernadette McQueen, character from the long-running soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' * Jacqueline Natla, main antagonist and final boss from ''Tomb Raider'' video games * Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler, a character from the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' television series * Jacqueline Payne Marone, character from ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' * Jackie Wilcox, character from the TV series ''Heroes'' * Jacqueline De Bellefort (De Severac in the stage version), character from Agatha Christie's novel ''

Death on the Nile ''Death on the Nile'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 1 November 1937 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at ...

'' * Jacqueline Barrett, character from '' Jack & Jill'' * Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton, comic book character *Jacqueline de Ghent, character from '' Ever After''