Declining since 1985, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of January since 1951
Babies named January per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 17 |
| 1960s | 75 |
| 1970s | 1,000 |
| 1980s | 517 |
| 1990s | 116 |
| 2000s | 115 |
| 2010s | 239 |
| 2020s | 91 |
Meaning & origin
January is a rare and distinctive month name. First recorded in the U.S. in 1951, it peaked in 1978 but has since been in decline since 1985. By 2025, its rank of 10,107 reflects its scarcity, with only about 1 in 178,585 newborn girls given the name that year. As a modern English coinage, it fits the pattern of using seasonal or calendar words as names, though it never reached the popularity of April or May. Its top states are not recorded, indicating it does not have a strong regional concentration.
January is a month name taken directly from the English calendar, derived from the Latin 'Januarius', named after the Roman god Janus. It has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, particularly in the United States, as part of the trend of using calendar terms as names. It remains rare compared to other month names like April or May.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jan, Janny
Sibling names for January
Names that share January's style, for a brother or sister.
