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Help[Opinions] Jane
Has been on my mind lately. I think it's interesting and dull at the same time :P I met a little girl named Anna Jane yesterday (called by both names) and thought it was kind of cool. I also like Mary Jane.
What do you think of Jane? Do you like Jayne?
What do you think of Anna Jane and Mary Jane? Is Mary Jane usable?
Oh and I wonder why Jane is often thought of as dull or plain. I mean it never even made the top 40 as far as I know. Is it because of the Jane Doe thing?
What do you think of Jane? Do you like Jayne?
What do you think of Anna Jane and Mary Jane? Is Mary Jane usable?
Oh and I wonder why Jane is often thought of as dull or plain. I mean it never even made the top 40 as far as I know. Is it because of the Jane Doe thing?
This message was edited 1/19/2012, 8:36 PM
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I love Jane! It's sleek and elegant and I think it has a quiet strength. I prefer Jane to Jayne as the Y seems unnecessary. There's nothing wrong with Anna Jane, though I personally think it sounds a bit too expected and commonplace. Mary Jane is one I'd be hesitant about, because of the marijuana association.
I think it's considered plain simply because "plain Jane" is a common phrase.
I think it's considered plain simply because "plain Jane" is a common phrase.
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I know an Anna Jane. Nice name. Not so keen on Mary Jane - Spiderman, shoes and stoners, and it sounds a bit sing-songy - but it's not unusable.
'Plain jane' is in the dictionary as a term for an unattractive woman; reference.com says its use is attested from 1912. Jane is still used as a generic slang term for a woman - 'a jane' in some parts of the US. In the UK, it was pretty common - in the top 100 from 1904 until 1984, and would have been for a long time before that, had there been charts. It reached #7 here in 1964.
I like it, but with a fancy middle name, like, say, Augusta.
'Plain jane' is in the dictionary as a term for an unattractive woman; reference.com says its use is attested from 1912. Jane is still used as a generic slang term for a woman - 'a jane' in some parts of the US. In the UK, it was pretty common - in the top 100 from 1904 until 1984, and would have been for a long time before that, had there been charts. It reached #7 here in 1964.
I like it, but with a fancy middle name, like, say, Augusta.
This message was edited 1/20/2012, 10:50 AM
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I like Jane, and I don't find it dull or plain at all. I wish I could use it.
What do you think of Jane? I think it has a lot of charm. It's simple, strong, and really pretty in that no-frills way I love. When I add its long history and all the positive associations I can draw, I think it's a great name.
Do you like Jayne? No! Get that Y out of there!
What do you think of Anna Jane? It's cute, both as a double name or as a fn/mn combo. I'd rather see Jane as a FN, though.
Is Mary Jane usable? Between the shoes and marijuana, I don't think so. I wouldn't want it to be my name, at least. There's a Mary Jane in the assisted living community I visit, and she's called Jane.
I think there are a couple reasons why Jane never reached the Top 30. For one, it's been very popular as a middle name. Even if it's used as part of a double name, as it often has been, like Sarah Jane or Mary Jane, typically only Sarah and Mary would be counted as the FN for popularity measuring purposes. Second, Jane almost had to compete against versions of itself, like Joan and Janet, in popularity. I believe that for the time covered by the SSA list, Jane just wasn't the most fashionable feminization of John.
As far as "Plain Jane," short, unadorned names just sort of fell out of fashion, but Jane is the only one with the misfortune to rhyme with plain. I always forget about Jane Doe, but I don't think that has hurt the name too badly. John has John Doe, and it's #26.
What do you think of Jane? I think it has a lot of charm. It's simple, strong, and really pretty in that no-frills way I love. When I add its long history and all the positive associations I can draw, I think it's a great name.
Do you like Jayne? No! Get that Y out of there!
What do you think of Anna Jane? It's cute, both as a double name or as a fn/mn combo. I'd rather see Jane as a FN, though.
Is Mary Jane usable? Between the shoes and marijuana, I don't think so. I wouldn't want it to be my name, at least. There's a Mary Jane in the assisted living community I visit, and she's called Jane.
I think there are a couple reasons why Jane never reached the Top 30. For one, it's been very popular as a middle name. Even if it's used as part of a double name, as it often has been, like Sarah Jane or Mary Jane, typically only Sarah and Mary would be counted as the FN for popularity measuring purposes. Second, Jane almost had to compete against versions of itself, like Joan and Janet, in popularity. I believe that for the time covered by the SSA list, Jane just wasn't the most fashionable feminization of John.
As far as "Plain Jane," short, unadorned names just sort of fell out of fashion, but Jane is the only one with the misfortune to rhyme with plain. I always forget about Jane Doe, but I don't think that has hurt the name too badly. John has John Doe, and it's #26.
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No, you can search for double names too. For example Mary-Jane and Maryjane are both listed (search on this site). Only if the parents would list Mary as the first name and Jane as the middle name (and call her by both names) only Mary would be listed. I guess that's what quite a few people do, though.
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According to the popularity lists for the US it peaked in 1945 at #36. I guess the negativity may come from references such as 'plain Jane' which make it seem very ordinary. But I've only met one Jane in my whole life. She would be in her 30s now, so I don't think it has to do with popularity. I guess it just doesn't give off much spark in how it sounds. It's a fairly flat sounding one syllable name. It's not a bad name, just not very interesting to me.
I don't like Mary Jane. Anna Jane is much nicer. Anna gives it a bit more flair.
I don't like Mary Jane. Anna Jane is much nicer. Anna gives it a bit more flair.
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Anna Jane is pretty! I know a Jane-Ann who's in her 60s or even 70s.
Mary Jane has two conflicting associations: the sensible shoes and the dope. I'd like it more without them.
Jayne is sad and misguided, like gilding refined gold and painting lilies. Jane has dignity, energy and cheerfulness.
Trouble with Jane is, first of all it's been a default mn since mns began, and also it actually rhymes with 'plain'. "Plain Jane and no nonsense", my elderly relatives used to say about women they approved of for getting on with the job and not complaining. But I'd use Jane happily for its retro charm.
Mary Jane has two conflicting associations: the sensible shoes and the dope. I'd like it more without them.
Jayne is sad and misguided, like gilding refined gold and painting lilies. Jane has dignity, energy and cheerfulness.
Trouble with Jane is, first of all it's been a default mn since mns began, and also it actually rhymes with 'plain'. "Plain Jane and no nonsense", my elderly relatives used to say about women they approved of for getting on with the job and not complaining. But I'd use Jane happily for its retro charm.
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I don't think Jane is boring at all. It's so simple that it stands out! However, when you put it in the middle name spot, it gets boring. I much prefer Jane to Jayne. I think Mary Jane is a terrible idea, though - it's either a shoe or a slang term for marijuana. Anna Jane is lovely, but I'd put Jane as a first name instead.
What about some of these:
Jane Elizabeth
Jane Annabelle
Jane Eloise (omg, love this)
Jane Eleanor
Jane Hermione
Jane Lysandra
Jane Elissa
Jane Aquinnah
Jane Emmeline
Jane Arielle
Jane Emmanuelle
Jane Evelyn
Jane Hadley
Jane Caroline
Jane Carlotta
Jane Lucille
Jane Lucinda
Jane Guinevere
Jane Vivienne
What about some of these:
Jane Elizabeth
Jane Annabelle
Jane Eloise (omg, love this)
Jane Eleanor
Jane Hermione
Jane Lysandra
Jane Elissa
Jane Aquinnah
Jane Emmeline
Jane Arielle
Jane Emmanuelle
Jane Evelyn
Jane Hadley
Jane Caroline
Jane Carlotta
Jane Lucille
Jane Lucinda
Jane Guinevere
Jane Vivienne
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Jane's nice and simple and not overused in the fn spot... Anna Jane is ok (though Anna doesn't excite me due to recent overuse). Mary Jane I wouldn't use for multiple reasons. Jayne's ok, I guess, but the y is really unnecessary.
It's prob'ly thought of as plain because it's so simple and a fem version of John.
Finding a more culturally distinguished name that's presentable as a name without being way out there and pairing that w/ Jane would be good. (Mary and its forms are WAY too overused on the world scale... most popular fem name in the world if you put the varieties of it together).
Lara Jane (though maybe too close to Laura Jane, which is an expected one)
Shara Jane
Lisa Jane
I know a Kara Jayne (Sarah Jane is overused)
Keira Jane
Aimi Jane (eyemee)
Marika Jane (with Kanji instead of the western Mary ties)
Elsie Jane
Mizuki Jane
Maki Jane
Mika Jane (meekah)
Micah Jane
Theresa Jane
Noella Jane
Izumi Jane
It's prob'ly thought of as plain because it's so simple and a fem version of John.
Finding a more culturally distinguished name that's presentable as a name without being way out there and pairing that w/ Jane would be good. (Mary and its forms are WAY too overused on the world scale... most popular fem name in the world if you put the varieties of it together).
Lara Jane (though maybe too close to Laura Jane, which is an expected one)
Shara Jane
Lisa Jane
I know a Kara Jayne (Sarah Jane is overused)
Keira Jane
Aimi Jane (eyemee)
Marika Jane (with Kanji instead of the western Mary ties)
Elsie Jane
Mizuki Jane
Maki Jane
Mika Jane (meekah)
Micah Jane
Theresa Jane
Noella Jane
Izumi Jane
This message was edited 1/19/2012, 8:54 PM
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