Parenting - Prenatal to preschool/Parenting_PrenatalToPreschool.bin/dp/0037/00377.txt

Text File | 1993-06-25 | 24KB | 678 lines

$Unique_ID{PAR00377}
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$Title{Names for Girls:  J}
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Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Girls J}
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The Ultimate Baby Name Book


Names for Girls:  J


Jacalin (see Jacqueline)

Jacaline (see Jacqueline)

Jacalyn (see Jacqueline)

Jacinna (see Jacinta)

Jacinta            Spanish "hyacinth."
      Variations:  Jacinth, Jacinna, Jacynth

Jacinth (see Jacinta)

Jackelyn (see Jacqueline)

Jacki (see Jackie, Jacqueline)

Jackie             Form of Jacqueline.  This nickname became a popular
                   independent name in the 1950s, when cute names were in
                   vogue for girls.
    Famous names:  Jackie Collins (novelist)
                   Jackie Joyner Kersee (athlete)
 Other spellings:  Jacki, Jacky, Jacquie

Jacky (see Jackie, Jacqueline)

Jaclyn (see Jacqueline)

Jacoba (see Jacqueline)

Jacobina (see Jacqueline)

Jacovina (see Jacqueline)

Jacquelean, Jacquelene (see Jacqueline)

Jacqueline         French feminine form of Jacob, Jack, and John.
                   Jacqueline was one of the first French derivatives of a
                   traditionally masculine name to become a popular girls'
                   name in the United States.  It was widely used in the
                   1930s.  When Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy became the first
                   lady in the early-1960s, the name again became very
                   popular.  If you want to name your daughter Jacqueline but
                   want her to have a happier association with the name than
                   the young widow of a much-loved president, you could tell
                   her about the ace pilot, Jacqueline Auriol, the first woman
                   to break the sound barrier.
 Other spellings:  Jacalin, Jacaline, Jaclyn, Jacquelean, Jacquelene,
                   Jacquelline, Jacquelyn
       Nicknames:  Jacki, Jackie, Jacky
      Variations:  Gacquetta, Jacalyn, Jackelyn, Jacoba, Jacobina, Jakobine
                   (German), Jacovina (Russian), Jacquenella, Jacquenette,
                   Jacquetta, Jacquette (French), Jada, Zakelina (Russian)

Jacquelline (see Jacqueline)

Jacquelyn (see Jacqueline)

Jacquenella (see Jacqueline)

Jacquenette (see Jacqueline)

Jacquetta (see Jacqueline)

Jacquette (see Jacqueline)

Jacquie (see Jackie)

Jacynth (see Jacinta)

Jada (see Jacqueline)

Jaime (see Jamie)

Jaimie (see Jamie)

Jakobine (see Jacqueline)

Jamaica            Name of a country.
     Famous name:  Jamaica Kincaid (author)

Jamee, Jami (see Jamie)

Jamie              Feminine form of James, Hebrew "the supplanting."  While
                   many currently popular girls' names are versions of boys'
                   names, Jamesina is rarely used.  But Jamie, in all its
                   various spellings, is very popular.  Perhaps parents
                   remember it as the name of the Bionic Woman on the 1970s
                   television series.
    Famous names:  Jami Gertz (actress)
                   Jamie Lee Curtis (actress)
 Other spellings:  Jaime, Jaimie, Jamee, Jami, Jayme, Jaymee, Jaymie

Jamila             Swahili "beautiful."

Jan                Feminine form of John, Hebrew "the Lord is gracious."
     Famous name:  Jan Morris (writer)
       Variation:  Jane

Jana (see Jane)

Janae (see Jane)

Jane               Feminine form of John, Hebrew "the Lord is gracious."
                   English parents like this name a lot more than Americans.
                   Although it has been a very popular name in both countries
                   for the last 100 years, it has consistently ranked number
                   one in England.  Until the sixteenth century, the older
                   name Johanna was used much more frequently than Jane.
                   After Henry VIII married his third wife, Jane Seymour, and
                   she bore his only son, the name began to appear more often.
                   Following the brief reign of Henry's son, Lady Jane Grey
                   was appointed his successor, but the court rallied to
                   Henry's first daughter, Mary, and Lady Jane was beheaded.
                   In the nineteenth century, the remarkable writer Jane
                   Austen brought literary fame to the name.  Jane Eyre by
                   Charlotte Bronte began a line of fictional Janes that
                   extends to Jane Marple, Agatha Christie's detective,
                   whose observations of village life help her solve vicious
                   crimes.  Jane is also a popular name for actresses.
                   There's Jane Alexander, Jane Curtin, Jane Fonda, Jane
                   Seymour, and Jane Wyman.
    Famous names:  Jane Burke (performer known as Calamity Jane)
                   Jane Byrne (politician)
  Other spelling:  Jayne
       Nicknames:  Janie, Janey
      Variations:  Gene, Gianina (Italian), Gianna, Giovanna (Italian),
                   Hanka, Jan, Jana (Polish), Janae, Janel, Janella, Janelle,
                   Janet, Janette, Jania, Janice, Janka (Hungarian and
                   Polish), Janina (Polish), Janine, Janis, Janise, Jann,
                   Janna (Latvian), Janot, Jany, Janyte (Lithuanian), Jasia
                   (Polish), Jean, Jeanie, Jeanne (French), Jeannette
                   (French), Jeannine, Jennetta, Jennette, Jennice, Jennie,
                   Jenny (Scottish), Jinny (Scottish), Jo, Joan, Joana
                   (Portuguese), Joane, Joanie, Joanka (Polish), Joanna,
                   Joanne, Joeanna, Joeanne, Johanna (German), Johanne,
                   Johnette, Jonette, Joni, Jonie, Jonnie, Jony, Juana
                   (Spanish), Juanita (Spanish), Netta, Nita (Spanish),
                   Seonaid (Scottish), Sheena (Irish), Sheenagh (Irish), Shena
                   (Irish), Sian (Welsh), Sine (Gaelic), Sinead (Irish), Siwah
                   (Welsh), Vania (Russian), Zanna, Zaneta (Russian)

Janel (see Jane)

Janella (see Jane)

Janelle (see Jane)

Janet              Variation of Jane.  Janet is one of the most popular
                   twentieth-century names based on Jane.  Christopher Fry
                   named the lovely witch in his play The Lady's Not for
                   Burning a variation of the name, Jennet.
    Famous names:  Janet Gaynor (actress)
                   Janet Leigh (actress)
                   Janet Lynn (figure skater)
                   Janet Maslin (film critic)
 Other spellings:  Janette, Jannette
      Variations:  Jennet, Jesse, Jessie

Janette (see Jane, Janet)

Janey (see Jane)

Jania (see Jane)

Janice             Variation of Jane.  At the turn of the century, everyone
                   was reading Janice Meredith, a novel by Paul Leicester
                   Ford, and many parents decided to use this "modern" name
                   for their baby girls.
     Famous name:  Janice Merrill (track athlete)

Janie (see Jane)

Janina (see Jane)

Janine (see Jane)

Janis              Variation of Jane.
     Famous name:  Janis Joplin (singer)

Janise (see Jane)

Janka (see Jane)

Jann (see Jane)

Janna (see Jane)

Jannette (see Janet)

Janot (see Jane)

Januveva (see Genevieve)

Jany (see Jane)

Janyte (see Jane)

Jasia (see Jane)

Jasmin (see Jasmine)

Jasmina (see Jasmine)

Jasmine            Persian flower name.  Jasmine is often associated with
                   passionate love.
  Other spelling:  Jasmin
      Variations:  Jasmina, Jassamyn, Jazz, Jessamine, Jessamyn, Mina,
                   Minnie, Yasmine, Yasiman (Indian)

Jassamyn (see Jasmine)

Jatrud (see Gertrude)

Jayme, Jaymee, Jaymie (see Jamie)

Jayne              Variation of Jane.
    Famous names:  Jayne Meadows (actress)
                   Jayne Anne Phillips (writer)

Jazz (see Jasmine)

Jean               Scottish variation of Jane.  Jean is probably derived from
                   the old French Jehane, not the male name Jean.  The name is
                   a favorite in Scotland, and the best-loved Scottish poet
                   Robert Burns wrote a charming poem in Scots dialect to his
                   wife "I Love My Jean."  Maggie Smith portrayed another
                   Scottish woman named Jean in her stunning performance as
                   the title character in the movie The Prime of Miss Jean
                   Brodie, based on a novel by Muriel Sparks.
    Famous names:  Jean Harlow (actress)
                   Jean Peters (actress)
                   Jean Simmons (actress)
 Other spellings:  Gene, Jeane, Jeanne
      Variations:  Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannie

Jeane              Variation of Jean.
     Famous name:  Jeane Kirkpatrick (ambassador)

Jeanette           Variation of Jean.
     Famous name:  Jeanette MacDonald (actress)

Jeanie             Variation of Jane or Jean.  "I dream of Jeanie with the
                   light brown hair" from the song by Stephen Foster endeared
                   this name to people in the last century.  A charming genie
                   named Jeanie in the 1960s television series I Dream of
                   Jeanie has kept the name popular recently.  Barbara Eden
                   played the genie; Larry Hagman was her master.

Jeanne             French variation of Jane.  Although the name Joan of Arc
                   is better known to English speakers, the French call the
                   Maid of Orleans Jeanne d'Arc.
     Famous name:  Jeanne Moreau (actress)
       Variation:  Jean

Jeannette (see Jane, Jean)

Jeannie (see Jean)

Jeannine (see Jane)

Jemima             Hebrew "dove."  In the Old Testament, Jemima was the
                   first daughter born to Job after his affliction--not an
                   auspicious beginning for a name.  Many Puritans baptized
                   their daughters with this name, but it is no longer used.
                   The name is kept alive by the well-known brand name and two
                   fictional characters, Beatrix Potters' Jemima Puddle-Duck
                   and Antonia Fraser's Jemima Shore, the liberated London
                   broadcast journalist who doubles as a sleuth.
  Other spelling:  Jemimah
       Nicknames:  Jemmie, Mimi

Jemimah (see Jemima)

Jemmie (see Jemima)

Jen (see Genevieve, Guinevere, Jennifer)

Jenefer (see Jennifer)

Jenifer (see Jennifer)

Jenna              Form of Jennifer.  It's the name of the character Priscilla
                   Presley plays on television's long-running soap opera
                   Dallas.

Jennefer (see Jennifer)

Jennet (see Janet)

Jennetta (see Jane)

Jennette (see Jane)

Jenni, Jennie (see Jane, Jennifer, Genevieve)

Jennice (see Jane)

Jennie (see Guinevere, Jane)

Jennifer           Variation of Genevieve.  Jennifer has been one of the
                   most-popular names in the United States for the last 15
                   years.  It's a relatively new name that probably developed
                   in Cornwall and then became popular throughout England in
                   the mid-twentieth century.  The best-selling author Erich
                   Segal used the name for the heroine of Love Story, a
                   bitter-sweet tale about commitment that was very popular in
                   the 1970s.  The movie based on the book starred Ali
                   MacGraw.
    Famous names:  Jennifer Grey (actress)
                   Jennifer Jones (actress)
                   Jennifer O'Neill (actress)
 Other spellings:  Gennifer, Jenefer, Jenifer, Jennefer
       Nicknames:  Jen, Jenna, Jenni, Jennie, Jenny
      Variations:  Genna, Genni, Gennie, Genny

Jenny              Form of Guinevere, Jane, and Jennifer.  Jenny Lind, the
                   Swedish Nightingale, took the United States by storm in the
                   middle of the nineteenth century, when P.T. Barnum
                   persuaded her to tour America singing arias from famous
                   operas.  Wherever she sang, audiences adored her and
                   parents named their babies Jenny.

Jeri, Jerri, Jerry (see Geraldine)

Jesica (see Jessica)

Jess (see Jessica)

Jessalyn, Jessalynn (see Jessica)

Jessamine (see Jasmine)

Jessamyn (see Jasmine)

Jessie             Form of Jessica or Janet.  When medieval artists
                   represented the genealogy of Jesus, they often began with
                   Jesse, the father of David.  As a girls' name, Jessie
                   probably comes from Scotland, where it's a pet name for
                   Janet.

Jesseca (see Jessica)

Jessica            Feminine form of Jesse, Hebrew "God exists."  Until the
                   1970s, Jessica was a very unusual name.  Shakespeare, who
                   may even have made up the name, called Shylock's lovely
                   daughter Jessica in The Merchant of Venice, but it was not
                   until recently that large numbers of people began choosing
                   this name.
    Famous names:  Jessica Lange (actress)
                   Jessica Tandy (actress)
                   Jessica Walter (actress)
 Other spellings:  Jesica, Jesseca
       Nicknames:  Jess, Jessie, Jessy
      Variations:  Jessalyn, Jessalynn, Jesse, Jesslyn, Jyssica

Jesslyn (see Jessica)

Jessy (see Jessica)

Jeva (see Genevieve)

Jewel              Old French jouel, "jewel."  Although less specific than
                   Pearl or Chrystal, this is one of the "jewel" names that
                   were popular at the turn of the century.
 Other spellings:  Jewell, Jewelle

Jewell, Jewelle (see Jewel)

Jill               Variation of Julia.  In Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night
                   Dream, the name Jill is paired with Jack.  "Jack shall have
                   Jill; Nought shall go ill."
    Famous names:  Jill Clayburgh (actress)
                   Jill Eikenberry (actress)
                   Jill St. John (actress)
      Variations:  Gillian, Jillian (Irish), Jilliana, Jillie, Jilly

Jillian (see Gillian, Jill, Julia)

Jilliana (see Jill)

Jillie, Jilly (see Gillina, Jill)

Jina               Swahili "name."

Jinny (see Jane)

Jinoveva (see Genevieve)

Jitka (see Judith)

Jo                 Variation of Josephine.  Jo is the strong-willed sister in
                   Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.  She is the character
                   that represents the author and later novels follow her as a
                   grown-up.  In the movie, Katharine Hepburn plays Jo.
     Famous name:  JoBeth Williams (actress)
      Variations:  Jane, Joan, Joann, Jocelyn, Joe, Joella

Jo Ann (see Joann)

Joan               Feminine form of John, Hebrew "the Lord is gracious."
                   The name Joan dates back at least as far as the twelfth
                   century, when it is recorded as the name of a daughter of
                   Henry II of England.  Jeanne d'Arc, who became known as
                   Joan primarily through George Bernard's play St. Joan, is
                   the patron saint of France.  She was a poor peasant girl,
                   but after hearing the voices of saints, she donned armour
                   and inspired the French forces in battle.  After several
                   initial successes in battle, she was captured and turned
                   over to the English.  They caused her to be burned at the
                   stake as a witch in 1431.
    Famous names:  Joan Benoit (marathoner)
                   Joan Crawford (actress)
                   Joan Sutherland (soprano)
       Nicknames:  Jo, Joanie, Joni, Jonie, Jonnie, Jony
      Variations:  Jane, Joana, Joann, Joanna, Joanne, Jodie, Jody

Joana, Joanna      Variations of Joan.  Although not as common as Joan, this
                   is a popular English name and was the name of the wife of
                   Henry V.
    Famous names:  Joanna Cassidy (actress)
                   Joanna Pacula (actress)
                   Joanna Pettet (actress)
      Variations:  Joan, Joann

Joanie (see Jane, Joan)

Joanka (see Jane)

Joann, Joanne      Variations of Joan.
     Famous name:  Joanne Woodward (actress)
      Variations:  Jo, Jo Ann, Joanna

Joceline (see Jocelyn)

Jocelyn            Old German gautelen, "of the Goths"; also, Celtic josse,
                   "winner, champion."  This lovely old name is becoming
                   popular in the United States.
 Other spellings:  Joceline, Joscelin, Josceline
       Nicknames:  Jo, Joe, Josie
      Variations:  Goslin, Gosling, Jodoca (Welsh), Joscelind, Joscelyne,
                   Josselyn, Joyce, Justine

Jodie, Jody        Variations of Joan, Josephine, and Judith.  This nickname
                   can also be used as a first name.
     Famous name:  Jodie Foster (actress)

Jodoca (see Jocelyn)

Joe (see Jo, Jocelyn, Josephine)

Joeanna (see Jane)

Joeanne (see Jane)

Joella             Feminine form of Joel, Hebrew "the lord is willing."
      Variations:  Ella, Jo, Joely

Joely              Variation of Joella.

Joette (see Josephine)

Johanna (see Jane)

Johanne (see Jane)

Johnette (see Jane)

Joice (see Joy, Joyce)

Joisse (see Joyce)

Joleen (see Joline)

Jolene (see Joline)

Joletta (see Julia, Violet)

Joline             Joe + feminine suffix -line.
 Other spellings:  Joleen, Jolene

Jonette (see Jane)

Joni (see Jane, Joan, Jonie)

Jonie              Feminine form of John, Hebrew "the Lord is gracious."
     Famous name:  Joni Mitchell (singer)
 Other spellings:  Joni, Jonni, Jony
      Variations:  Jane, Joan

Jonnie, Jony (see Jane, Joan, Jonie)

Jortensia (see Hortense)

Joscelin (see Jocelyn)

Joscelind (see Jocelyn)

Josceline (see Jocelyn)

Joscelyne (see Jocelyn, Justine)

Josee (see Josephine)

Josefa (see Josephine)

Josefina (see Josephine)

Josepha (see Josephine)

Josephe (see Josephine)

Josephina (see Josephine)

Josephine          Feminine form of Joseph, Hebrew "the Lord added."
                   The most-famous royal woman to bear this name is Josephine
                   Beauharnais, who became the wife of Napoleon and empress of
                   France.  Her first husband was beheaded, but she was saved
                   from execution and later met General Bonaparte.  Empress
                   Josephine's contribution to history is the Empire dress.
                   She also introduced the practice of wearing court dresses
                   with trains.
     Famous name:  Josephine Jacobsen (poet)
       Nicknames:  Jo, Jodie, Jody, Joe, Josee, Josie
      Variations:  Fifi (French), Fifine (French), Giuseppina (Italian),
                   Josefa (Spanish), Josefina (Spanish), Josepha (German),
                   Josephe (French), Josephina (French), Joette, Josette,
                   Jozefa, Pepita (Spanish), Seosaimhthin (Irish)

Josette (see Josephine)

Josie (see Jocelyn, Josephine)

Josselyn (see Jocelyn)

Joy                Old French joie, "joy."
      Variations:  Joice, Joya, Joyana, Joyce, Joyeuse (French), Joyous

Joya (see Joy)

Joyana (see Joy)

Joyce              Latin jocassa, "merry"; also, a variation of Joy.  In
                   England, Joyce is used for both boys and girls.
     Famous name:  Joyce Carol Oates (novelist)
      Variations:  Joceyln, Joice, Joisse (French), Joyous

Joyeuse (see Joy)

Joyous (see Joy, Joyce)

Jozefa (see Josephine)

Juana (see Jane)

Juanita (see Jane)

Jude (see Judith)

Judie (see Judith)

Judit (see Judith)

Judith             Hebrew "a Jewess" or "praised."  Judith of Brittany
                   married Richard II, Duke of Normandy, and became the
                   grandmother of William the Conqueror.
    Famous names:  Dame Judith Anderson (actress)
                   Judith Rossner (novelist)
       Nicknames:  Jodie, Jody, Judie, Judy
      Variations:  Giuditta (Italian), Jitka, Jude, Judit (Spanish and
                   Swedish), Jutta (German), Siobhan (Irish), Siubhan
                   (Scottish), Yehudit (Israeli), Zuzeth

Judy               Variation of Judith.  This popular diminutive of Judith was
                   the stage name of one of the twentieth century's greatest
                   performers, Judy Garland.
    Famous names:  Judy Collins (singer)
                   Judy Holliday (actress)

Juli (see Julia)

Julia              Feminine form of Julian, a Latin family name.  Julia was a
                   popular name during the Renaissance in Italy.  Since that
                   time, parents in Europe and the United States have often
                   used the name.
    Famous names:  Julia Child (food expert)
                   Julia Duffy (actress)
                   Julia Ward Howe (poet and reformer)
       Nicknames:  Juli, Julie
      Variations:  Gillian, Gillie, Giulia (Italian), Giulietta (Italian),
                   Jill, Jillian, Joletta, Juliana, Julianna, Juliet, Julieta
                   (Spanish), Julietta, Juliette (French), Julina, Juline,
                   Sile (Irish), Sileas (Scottish)

Juliana, Julianna  Variations of Julia.  St. Juliana got into trouble by
                   rejecting the advances of a nobleman.  According to legend,
                   more than 500 people were converted after she was thrown
                   into a furnace and the fire went out.

Julianne           Variation of Julia.

Julie              Variation of Julia.  Julie may have started out as a
                   nickname for Julia, but it is now a very popular name in
                   its own right.  It ranks among the 50 most-popular names in
                   the United States.
    Famous names:  Julie Andrews (singer and actress)
                   Julie Kavner (actress)

Juliet             Form of Julia.  William Shakespeare coined this name from
                   the Italian name Giulietta for the famous tragic heroine of
                   Romeo and Juliet.
    Famous names:  Juliet Mills (actress)
                   Juliet Prowse (dancer)
  Other spelling:  Juliette

Julieta, Julietta (see Julia)

Juliette           Variation of Julia and Juliet.

Julina (see Julia)

Juline (see Julia)

June               Latin name of a month.  In the nineteenth century, this was
                   the most-popular "month" name, but today it has been
                   surpassed by April.
     Famous name:  June Allyson (actress)
      Variations:  Junette, Junia (Greek), Juniata, Junie, Junilla, Junine

Junette (see June)

Junia (see June)

Juniata (see June)

Junie (see June)

Junilla (see June)

Junine (see June)

Justa (see Justine)

Justina (see Justine)

Justine            Feminine form of Justin, Latin "the just."  St. Justina
                   shared horrible tortures with St. Cyprian, although it was
                   said that neither saint suffered.  She is the patron saint
                   of Padua, Italy.
     Famous name:  Justine Bateman (actress)
      Variations:  Giustina (Italian), Guistina, Joscelyn, Justa, Justina
                   (Greek and Spanish), Justinn, Justyna (Polish)

Justinn (see Justine)

Justyna (see Justine)

Jutta (see Judith)

Jyssica (see Jessica)