Janet is a name of English origin that has been used for centuries. It is a diminutive form of the name Jane, which itself comes from the Latin name Johannes, meaning "God is gracious." Therefore, Janet means "God is gracious" or "graced by God."
The name Janet first appeared in the late Middle Ages and was originally given to both boys and girls. However, over time it became more associated with females. In some cases, Janet may also be a short form of other female names such as Janeth or Janette.
In literature, one notable figure named Janet is Janet Gresham Brydon, who was the first woman to be appointed as Professor of Biblical Criticism at the University of Oxford in 1938. This demonstrates that individuals with this name have made significant contributions throughout history.
Overall, Janet is a classic and elegant name with a long history and a meaningful origin. It has been used by families around the world for generations and continues to be popular today.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe the trends of the name Janet among newborns in the United States over several decades.
From 1917 to 1937, there was a gradual increase in the number of newborn girls named Janet each year. The number of births peaked at 42 in 1937. This period saw a consistent popularity for the name Janet.
However, from 1938 onwards, there was a decline in its usage. In fact, between 1965 and 1975, fewer than 20 babies were named Janet each year, with some years even seeing single-digit numbers of newborn girls given that name.
There was a slight uptick between 1980 and 1994, but overall, the popularity of the name Janet continued to decline. In the most recent data provided from 1995, only 6 births were recorded for girls named Janet.
In total, over this period, there were 1515 newborn girls named Janet in the United States. Although it was once a popular choice, the name Janet has since fallen out of favor and is now relatively rare among newborns in the U.S.