Jan (name)

Jan
Pronunciation	Czech: [jan]; German: [jan]; Dutch: [jɑn]; Polish: [jan]
Gender	male
Origin
Language(s)	Hebrew
Meaning	"YHWH has been gracious"
Other names
Related names	John, Jaan, Jann, Jane, Evan, Giovanni, Hans, Juan, Hovhannes, Ion, Ian, Ioan, Ioane, Ivan, Iven, Ifan, Jack, Jackson, Jane, Janez, Jean, Jhon, Joan, João, Johan/Johann, Johanan, Johannes, Jonne, Jovan, Juhani, Seán, Shane, Siôn, Xan, Xoán, Yahya, Yann, Yohannes

Jan is a form of John that is used in various languages. (See the “Other names” section in this page's infobox for more variants.)

The name is used in Afrikaans, Belarusian, Circassian, Catalan, Cornish, Croatian, Czech, English (especially in Devon dialect), Dutch, German, Kazakh, Polish, Slovak, Slovenian, Scandinavian and Finnic languages. It is the most prevalent in the Czech Republic.^[3] In English, the name "Jan" is related to "John", but is a shortened form of the first names Janet, Janice, or January, with corresponding pronunciation. It has a separate origin in Persian, Greek, and Armenian.

Netherlands and Flanders

In the Netherlands and Flanders, the name used to be one of the most popular given first names. From the 1950s, the occurrence of the name decreased. In 2014, no more than 3% of the boys are given this name.^[4] However, it still is one of the most widely distributed names. It is also the most common name of Dutch players in the Netherlands national football team.^[4]

The name Jan is sometimes combined with another first name, such as in Jan Peter (for instance in Jan Peter Balkenende), or in Klaas Jan (for instance in Klaas Jan Huntelaar). Very rarely the name Jan is given to a girl, as variants like Jann, Jannie, Janneke or Jantje are more common.

Because it used to be so common, it found its way into many expressions^[5] still widely used today, even though the popularity of the name itself has faded. "Jan met de pet", literally "Jan wearing a cap", signifies the common man; and "Jan en alleman", literally "Jan and everyman", signifies a large group of people, often used when referring to a cross-section of society.

Yankee

Yankee was the nickname that the British colonists gave to the inhabitants of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. One also often hears just "Yank" colloquially.

The exact origin of the word is not exactly known. It is said that the word originated from the Dutch names Jan and Kees. Other possible origins are sought in Jan-Kaas, a name that referred to the fact that the Dutch settlers were known for their cheese. A third possibility is that the word is derived from Janneke, the diminutive form of Jan. The Dutch J and English Y are pronounced the same way when they are used in a word, so not as a separate letter.

Another theory is the bastardized pronunciation of English by Native Americans. Compare with pidgin (to business) and Kiribati Islands (to Gilbert Islands).

Later, Yankee became a nickname for the residents of upstate New York and neighboring New England. Today, the people of New York and New England use the word Yankee as a nickname. One of New York's professional baseball teams is called the New York Yankees.

People (first name)

Jan (ispán) (fl. 1071), Hungarian noble

A–F

Jan Akkerman (born 1946), Dutch rock musician
Jan Baalsrud (1917–1988), Norwegian commando
Jan Peter Balkenende (born 1956), Dutch politician and former prime minister of the Netherlands
Jan Baudouin de Courtenay (1845–1929), Polish linguist and Slavist
Jan Bednarek (born 1996), Polish professional footballer
Jan van Bemmel (born 1938), Dutch medical informatician
Jan Bertels (born 1968), Belgian politician
Jan Krzysztof Bielecki (born 1951), Polish liberal politician and economist, former Prime Minister of Poland
Jan Björklund (born 1962), Swedish politician
Jan Błachowicz (born 1983), Polish professional mixed martial artist
Jan Boháček (born 1969), Czech ice hockey player
Jan de Bont (born 1943), Dutch cinematographer, producer, and film director
Jan Borgman (1929–2021), Dutch astronomer
Jan Brewer (born 1944), former governor of Arizona
Jan Broberg (born 1962), American actress, singer, dancer and twice victim of kidnapping by a family friend.
Jan Buijs (1889–1961), Dutch architect
Jan Bytnar (1921–1943), Polish anti-Nazi resistance fighter
Jan Choinski (born 1996), British tennis player
Jan Cremer (born 1940), Dutch author and painter
Jan Czekanowski (1882–1965), Polish anthropologist, statistician, ethnographer, traveller, and linguist
Jan Czerlinski (born 1967), Czech ice hockey player
Jan Czerski (1845–1892), Polish paleontologist, osteologist, geologist, geographer and explorer of Siberia
Jan Czochralski (1885–1953), Polish chemist
Jan Henryk Dąbrowski (1755–1818), Polish general and statesman
Jan Derbyshire, Canadian writer and comedian
Jan Dijkstra (1910–1993), Dutch mayor
Jan Domarski (born 1946), Polish footballer
Jan Drenth (born 1925), Dutch chemist
Jan-Krzysztof Duda (born 1998), Polish chess grandmaster
Jan Egeland (born 1957), former UN humanitarian official, from Norway
Jan Enquist (1925–2005), Swedish Navy rear admiral
Jan Erixon (born 1962), Swedish former professional hockey player
Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787–1869), Czech anatomist, and physiologist, discoverer of Purkinje cells

F–L

Jan Fedder (1955–2019), German actor
Jan Fontein (1927–2017), Dutch art historian
Jan Garbarek (born 1947), Norwegian jazz saxophonist
Jan Geersing (1940–2021), Dutch politician
Jan E. Goldstein (born 1946), Norman and Edna Freehling Professor of History at the University of Chicago.
Jan van Gooswilligen (1935–2008), Dutch field hockey player
Jan van der Graaf (1937–2022), Dutch church administrator
Jan Grabowski (born 1962), Polish-Canadian historian
Jan Guillou (born 1944), Swedish journalist and author
Jan-Gunnar Isberg (1947–2022), Swedish brigadier general
Jan Gunnar Røise (born 1975), Norwegian actor
Jan Gustafsson (born 1979), German chess Grandmaster
Jan Hammer (born 1948), Czech musician
Jan de Hartog (1914–2002), Dutch writer
Jan Heweliusz (1611–1687), Polish astronomer
Jan van Hooff (born 1936), Dutch biologist
Jan Hooks (1957–2014), American actress
Jan Howard (1929–2020), American country music singer
Jan Hron (born 1941), Czech agroscientist, Rector of University of Life Sciences Prague
Jan Huitema (born 1984), Dutch politician
Jan Hus (burned 1415), Czech religious reformer
Jan Jacobsz May, Dutch seafarer and explorer
Jan Jagla (born 1981), German basketball player
Jan Mohammad Jamali, Afghan politician
Jan Janský (1873–1921), Czech scientist, first classified 4 blood types
Jan Jonsson (1952–2021), Swedish Air Force officer
Jan Kalvoda, (born 1953), Czech politician and lawyer
Jan Karski (1914–2000), Polish soldier, resistance-fighter, and diplomat
Jan Kefer (1906–1941), Czech theurgist, astrologist and occult writer
Jan Kerouac (1952-1996), American novelist
Jan Mohammed Khan (died 2011), Afghan politician
Jan Kickert (born 1964), Austrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Jan Koller (born 1973), Czech footballer
Jan Amos Komenský (1592–1670), Czech teacher, scientist, educator, and writer
Jan Koum (born 1976), Ukrainian ex. software infrastructure engineer, creator of WhatsApp
Jan O. Korbel (born 1975), German biologist
Jan Korte (born 1956), Dutch footballer and manager
Jan Kubiš (1913–1942), Czech soldier
Jan Kubíček (1927–2013), Czech painter
Jan Kulczyk (1950–2015), Polish billionaire businessman
Jan Kvalheim (born 1963), Norwegian beach volleyball player
Jan Laštůvka (born 1982), Czech footballer
Jan Lisiecki (born 1995), Polish-Canadian pianist
Jan Lucemburský (1296–1346), king of Bohemia
Jan Łaski (1499–1560), Polish Calvinist reformer
Jan Łukasiewicz (1878–1956), Polish logician and philosopher

M–Z

Jan Martín (born 1984), German-Israeli-Spanish basketball player
Jan Masaryk (1886–1948), Czech diplomat and politician
Jan Matejko (1838–1893), Polish painter
Jan Matulka (1890–1972), Czech-American painter
Jan Mazurkiewicz (1896–1988), Polish military leader and politician
Jan Močnik (born 1987), Slovenian basketball player
Jan Morris (born 1963), Welsh historian, author and travel writer.
Jan Mølby (born 1963), Danish footballer.
Jan Murray (1916–2006), American stand-up comedian
Jan Mycielski (born 1932), Polish-American mathematician
Jan Nagórski (1888–1976), Polish engineer and pioneer of aviation
Jan Nepomucký (c. 1345–1393), Czech saint
Jan Neruda (1834–1891), Czech journalist, writer and poet
Jan Nowak-Jeziorański (1914–2005), Polish journalist, writer, politician and social worker
Jan Oblak (born 1993), Slovenian professional footballer (goalkeeper)
Jan Oort (1900–1992), Dutch astronomer
Jan Õun (born 1977), Estonian footballer
Jan Palach (1948–1969), Czech student self-immolated in 1969 protesting against the Soviet invasion
Jan Peerce (1904-1984), American operatic tenor
Jan Pieterszoon Coen (1587–1629), officer of the Dutch East India Company
Jan Podebradský (born 1974), Czech decathlete
Jan Polák (born 1981), Czech footballer
Jan Potocki (1761–1815), Polish nobleman, novelist, ethnologist, linguist and traveller
Jan Rabson (1954–2022), American actor
Jan Ravens (born 1958), English actress
Jan Reehorst (1923–2024), Dutch politician
Jan van Riebeeck (1619–1677), Dutch seafarer and explorer
Jan Rodowicz (1923–1949), Polish Home Army soldier
Jan Rubeš (1920–2009), Czech-Canadian singer and actor
Jan van Ruiten (1931–2016), Dutch politician
Jan Sladký Kozina (1652–1695), Czech revolutionary leader of Chodové
Jan Šimák (born 1978), Czech footballer
Jan Smuts (1870–1950), South African statesman
Jan Shearer (born 1958), New Zealand sailor
Jan Sobieski (1629–1696), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696
Jan Soukup (born 1979), Czech karateka and kickboxer
Jan Staaf (born 1962), Swedish race walker
Jan Šťastný (c.1764–c.1830) was a Czech composer.
Jan Šťastný (canoeist) (born 1970), Czech canoeist
Ján Šťastný (hockey player) (born 1982), Slovak hockey player
Jan Steen (c.1626–1679), Dutch artist
Jan Stenerud (born 1942), Norwegian American football player
Jan Paul Strid (1947–2018), Swedish toponymist
Jan Stussy (1921–1990), American artist
Jan Swafford, American writer and composer
Jan Szczepanik (1872–1926), Polish inventor
Jan Szymański (born 1989), Polish speed skater
Jan Tomaszewski (born 1948), Polish footballer
Jan Ullrich (born 1973), German former professional road bicycle racer
Jan van der Marck (1929–2010) Dutch-born American museum administrator, art historian, and curator.
Jan Van Loon, Dutch settler
Jan Veentjer (1938–2020), Dutch field hockey player
Jan Verroken (1917–2020), Belgian politician
Jan Versteegh (born 1985), Dutch game show host
Jan Vertonghen (born 1987), Belgian footballer
Jan Vesely (born 1990), Czech basketball player
Jan Erazim Vocel (1803–1871), Czech poet, archaeologist, historian and cultural revivalist
Jan Vetter (born 1963), lead singer of German punk band Die Ärzte, commonly known as Farin Urlaub
Jan Uuspõld (born 1973), Estonian actor and musician
Jan-Michael Vincent (1944–2019), American actor
Jan Washausen (born 1988), German footballer
Jan-Michael Williams (born 1984), Trinidadian footballer
Jan de Wit (born 1945), Dutch politician and lawyer
Jan Wohlschlag (born 1958), American high jumper
Jan Wolkers (1925–2007), Dutch author and artist
Jan Zamoyski (1542–1605), Polish nobleman and magnate
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679–1745), Czech baroque composer
Jan Žižka z Trocnova (c.1360–1424), Czech hussite leader
Jan Zoon (1923–2016), Dutch politician
Jan Zumbach (1915–1986), Polish fighter pilot and a flying ace during World War II
Jan Żabiński (1897–1974), Polish soldier, educator and scientist
Jan Zázvorka (1914–1991), Czech art director and architect

People (middle name)

Kim Dickens (born Kimberly Jan Dickens) (born 1965), American actress

People (last name)

Dominique Jan, Columbia University surgeon
Georg Jan (1791–1866), Italian taxonomist
Masood Jan, Pakistani blind cricketer

In popular culture

Jan, in Grease (1978)
Jan, in Bring It On (2000)
Jan Arrah, Element Lad from the Legion of Superheroes
Jan Brady - née Jan Martin, in The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)
Jan Levinson, in The Office (2005–2013)
Jan Solo or Ian Solo, Italian name of Han Solo, Star Wars character
Jan Valek, in Vampires (1998)
Jan, in Wrath of Man (2021)

Notes

^ There is also a German surname spelled Jan but pronounced [jaːn].

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Duden Aussprachewörterbuch (in German) (6 ed.). Mannheim: Bibliographisches Institut & F.A. Brockhaus AG. 2006. ISBN 3-411-04066-1.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "John" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
^ "Given name Jan around the world". mondonomo.ai. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
^ ^a ^b "'Jan' meest voorkomende voornaam in historie Oranje". 30 April 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
^ "Jan (Persoonsnaam)". www.etymologiebank.nl. Retrieved 2015-06-12.

This page or section lists people that share the same given name or the same family name.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

[2] There is also a German surname spelled Jan but pronounced [jaːn].

[duden-1] Duden Aussprachewörterbuch (in German) (6 ed.). Mannheim: Bibliographisches Institut & F.A. Brockhaus AG. 2006. ISBN 3-411-04066-1.

[3] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "John" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

[4] "Given name Jan around the world". mondonomo.ai. Retrieved 2022-08-24.

[nu.nl-5] "'Jan' meest voorkomende voornaam in historie Oranje". 30 April 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-12.

[6] "Jan (Persoonsnaam)". www.etymologiebank.nl. Retrieved 2015-06-12.

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