Message: "Jean" - Behind the Name

Jean

by Joan-Ay

12/2/2007, 8:55 AM

A girl that was in my English class this semester was named Jean, but it's pronounced the French way (ZHAWN). I know the French pronunciation is actually masculine, but I kind of like it on this girl. I always felt Jean (ZHAWN) was masculine, but hearing it on a girl is kind of edgy and cool (but that's just my opinion). So, wdyt? Jean for a girl Yay or Nay? When I asked my mom what she thought she was appalled, she said Jean was way too masculine for a girl. I think I only like it on this girl though.

#Jean

This message was edited 12/2/2007, 8:56 AM

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- Elena

12/3/2007, 11:16 AM

I suppose Jean is ok. It's my m-i-l's name (birth name, Gloria Jean) so she has sort of turned me off the name quite a bit. ;-)

Now Jean with the French spelling and pronunciation is strictly masculine to me. If the name were spelled Jeanne, that would be different.

- Bear

12/2/2007, 5:02 PM

I'm not into gender-bending names.

Jean, pronounced the French way, should only be used for a boy. I would have suggested to her parents the Welsh girl's name Sian, pronounced slightly differently, "shawn."

On a girl, I only like it the Scottish way, "jeen." Jeanie is one of my favorite girl (nick)names and I'm very territorial.

- Emma Jenny (Emma McHnery)

12/2/2007, 1:53 PM

Jean sounds feminine to me, but I prefer Jayne,my own hideous name. AT least Jayne is feminine.

- jj21jj

12/2/2007, 12:52 PM

Jean with the French pronunciation makes me think of a boy, so I can't imangine it on a girl and I do not like it on a girl. If you live in France or in a French-speaking place so it is a boy's name. The English way to me is a girl. People if you live in a French place will think it is a boy and in an English place think it is pronounced the English way.

- EgYpTiAn PrInCeSs

12/2/2007, 11:43 AM

I think Jean is fine for a girl. I know a girl named Jean. I have bad associations with her. But in all I still think it works fine.

- Megan (Megan7)

12/2/2007, 11:07 AM

I love Jeanne for a girl, or Jean for a boy. I think it sounds fine for either gender as long as the spelling is differant.

- Aileen (aileenbean)

12/2/2007, 10:52 AM

I love both the masculine and feminine forms of Jean as well as both pronunciations. And I must say that I really do like either form on either gender. It's a gorgeous name.

- lawruh

12/2/2007, 10:30 AM

I agree with Sugar. It's probably spelled Jeanne. I know a girl whose first name is Jeanne-Marie. I like Jeanne with another name as a fn for a girl much better than just Jeanne. Marie kind of verifies that it is indeed a girls name.

- Murasaki (lady murasaki)

12/2/2007, 10:14 AM

For me, pronounced the French way, Jean is a male name, full stop. It's like a girl being named John.

- queenv

12/2/2007, 9:33 AM

I've always hated Jean or Jeanne, pronounced the English way, for a girl anyway. Pronounced the French way, it basically sounds like John, and I too think it's much too masculine.

- Dot (Spider from Mars)

12/2/2007, 9:24 AM

I agree with your mother- Jean pronounced the French way sounds much too masculine for a girl. You can really hear the John in it (it's a very similar sound, I mean), which makes it seem quite masculine to me. Anyway, I've always heard it on men, so that's how I imagine it. I do, however, love the feminine pronounciation (like blue jeans) on a girl.

- Sugar (swisssugar) +1

12/2/2007, 9:23 AM

I think if you pronounce Jean the French way, and it's on a girl, then it should be Jeanne. But Jean with the English pronunciation is ok for a girl.
I like Jeanne a lot, more than Jean (JEEN).

- Joan-Ay

12/2/2007, 9:28 AM

I didn't think about maybe her name is spelled Jeanne. I assumed it was Jean because of the pronunciation. Thanks for pointing that out.

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