Jan
/dʒæn/noun
A masculine given name, used especially in several European languages and also in English.
Did you know?Jan is a European form of John, linking it—through a vast family of names—to figures such as Jean, Juan, Иван (Ivan), and Sean.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān)
““Yahweh is gracious” or “the LORD has shown favor””
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs)
“A Greek form of the Hebrew personal name”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Iōhannēs
“The Latin form that spread widely through Christian Europe”
Middle Ages
Old French
Jehan / Jan
“Medieval forms of John used as personal names”
Medieval–Modern Europe
Dutch, Polish, Czech, Scandinavian
Jan
“A widespread regional form of John”
Modern English
English
Jan
“An established masculine given name, pronounced “Jan””