name
Common
Jan
jan
Jan (name) means a given name, used for both men and women in different languages — a male name equivalent to "John" in Dutch, German, and Slavic languages, and a shortened female name elsewhere. Example: “Jan worked as a translator between the Dutch and English delegations.”
name
1
A given name, used for both men and women in different languages — a male name equivalent to "John" in Dutch, German, and Slavic languages, and a shortened female name elsewhere.
"Jan Petter Vala is serving part of a 10-year murder sentence on a posh island in southern Norway."
— John D. Sutter, Welcome to the world’s nicest prison (2012)
"Jan worked as a translator between the Dutch and English delegations."
How to use Jan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA first name that can be male (common in Dutch- and German-speaking countries) or a shortened female name (as in English).
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Jan.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ worked as a translator between the Dutch and English delegations.
Etymology
Ultimately from the same Hebrew root as "John," via Old French Jehan.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “Jan” mean?
The word “Jan” means a given name, used for both men and women in different languages — a male name equivalent to "John" in Dutch, German, and Slavic languages, and a shortened female name elsewhere. In plain terms, a first name that can be male (common in Dutch- and German-speaking countries) or a shortened female name (as in English).
How do you pronounce “Jan”?
“Jan” is pronounced jan (/d͡ʒæn/ in IPA).
How do you use “Jan” in a sentence?
Here is “Jan” used in a sentence: “Jan worked as a translator between the Dutch and English delegations.”
What part of speech is “Jan”?
“Jan” is a name.
Where does the word “Jan” come from?
The word “Jan” comes from Old French. Ultimately from the same Hebrew root as "John," via Old French Jehan.
Is “Jan” a common word?
“Jan” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is Jan a male or female name?
It can be both, depending on language. In Dutch, German, Polish, Czech, and other Slavic and Germanic languages, Jan is a male name equivalent to John. In English and some other settings, Jan is usually a female name, most often a short form of Janet or Janice. Pronunciation differs too between the two uses.
What is Jan short for?
As a woman's name in English, Jan is typically short for Janet, Janice, or Janine. As a man's name in Dutch, German, and Slavic languages, Jan is not a shortening at all: it is a full given name in its own right, the local form of John.
How do you pronounce Jan?
The English female name Jan rhymes with can, said with a short flat vowel. The male European name is usually pronounced more like yahn, with a Y sound at the start and a longer vowel. So the same spelling sounds quite different depending on which name and language you mean.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include Jan:
