Declining since 1987, #10,917 for girls today.
Popularity of Janel since 1933
Babies named Janel per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1971, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Janel's real moment was 1978.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 80 |
| 1940s | 244 |
| 1950s | 913 |
| 1960s | 1,576 |
| 1970s | 3,661 |
| 1980s | 2,628 |
| 1990s | 1,718 |
| 2000s | 750 |
| 2010s | 347 |
| 2020s | 106 |
Meaning & origin
Janel is a modern American coinage that blends the traditional Jane with a fashionable -el ending, mirroring the popularity of names like Janelle and Danielle in the mid-20th century. First recorded in 1933, Janel saw its peak in 1978, when it was among the 1,000 most popular names for girls. Since 1987, its use has been steadily declining; as of 2025, it ranks 10,917 and is given to about 1 in every 200,908 newborns. The name's trajectory reflects a broader shift away from so-called 'Jan' names that flourished in the 1970s, but its straightforward pronunciation and familiar root may appeal to parents seeking a less common alternative to Janelle or Jane.
Janel is a modern English feminine name, a combination of Jane and the suffix -el, perhaps modeled on names like Janelle. Jane derives from the Old French Jehanne, ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning 'God is gracious.' Janel first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century and saw its greatest use in the 1970s.
Where Janel is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Janel” around the world
Where Janel lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jan, Nell, Nelly
Sibling names for Janel
Names that share Janel's style, for a brother or sister.
