Janine is a female given name of French origin. It was created by the French writer Anatole France in his novel "Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard" published in 1864. The name Janine is believed to have been inspired by the Italian word "gianina", which means "little Jane". Therefore, Janine could be considered a diminutive form of Jane.
The name Janine gained popularity in France during the mid-20th century and has since become a common name among French-speaking populations. It is also used in other countries around the world, particularly in Europe and South America.
Janine is not associated with any specific historical figures or religious significance. Its meaning is simply "little Jane", which is likely why it has been traditionally given to girls who have parents named Jane or Jean.
In popular culture, Janine can be found as a character in various movies, books, and songs. For instance, the French singer Jeanette popularized the name with her hit song "Janine" released in 1965. However, despite its presence in pop culture, there is no direct link between these portrayals and any particular trait or personality associated with the name Janine.
Overall, Janine is a charming and elegant name of French origin that simply means "little Jane". It has been popular among French-speaking populations for decades and continues to be used today.
The name Janine has had a fascinating journey in terms of its popularity over the years in the United States. In the early 20th century, it was quite uncommon, with only a handful of births each year between 1914 and 1937. However, starting from 1938, there was a notable increase in its popularity, with Janine being given to 58 babies that year.
This upward trend continued throughout the following decades. The name peaked in popularity in 1960, with 1381 births recorded that year. This marked a significant shift from previous years and demonstrated a strong preference for this name during this period.
The popularity of Janine remained high through the late 1960s to early 1970s, with over 800 births each year between 1964 and 1972. However, after reaching its zenith in the 1960s, there was a steady decline in popularity over subsequent decades.
By the late 1970s to early 1980s, Janine was still quite common, with around 500 births each year. But as the years went by, its usage became less frequent. In the 1990s, there were fewer than 300 births annually, and this number continued to decrease over time.
In recent years, Janine has become quite rare. Since 2006, fewer than 75 babies are named Janine each year in the United States. Despite its decline in popularity, it is still used occasionally today, with around 20 births recorded annually between 2014 and 2023.
In total, over the span of more than a century, from 1914 to 2023, Janine has been given to approximately 33,466 babies in the United States. This data reflects how trends in naming can change dramatically over time, with Janine being a striking example of a name that went from obscurity to popularity and back again over several decades.