Jan

A widely used European given name; in many traditions it’s a form of John.

Jan is a compact, classic given name found in many European naming traditions. Depending on the country, it may be used predominantly for men, used as a unisex name, or appear alongside other related forms in the same family. Because it travels well across languages, it’s common to meet people named Jan with different expectations about pronunciation. Etymologically, Jan is commonly treated as part of the John/Johannes family in many regions, even though the exact historical route can differ from language to language. In practice, families often choose Jan for its simplicity and recognizability rather than for a single, fixed etymology story that applies everywhere. The most common pronunciation in many European contexts is YAHN (one syllable). In English-speaking settings, some people may initially read it like the month “Jan”; a practical tip is to say it once (YAHN) and it usually sticks.

Etymology: Jan is used across multiple European languages. In many cases it functions as a regional form of John (via related forms such as Johannes), though usage and gender association can vary by country.