The story behind January
From Middle English Januarie, januari, re-latinised forms of Middle English Janevere, Ieneuer, from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius (“(month) of Janus”), a compound of Iānus ("Janus") + -ārius (adjectival suffix), with the first element perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *yeh₂- (“to go”). Doublet of Gennaro.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from English January, from Middle English Januarie, from Janevere, borrowed from Anglo-Norman genever, from Latin Iānuārius, from Iānus (“Janus”) + -ārius. Doublet of Enero.
Pronunciation
US: /ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌɛɹi/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒæn.jʊ.ə.ɹi/
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒæn.jə.ɹi/
- US: /ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌæɹi/
- Australia: /ˈd͡ʒæn.jʉˌeːɹi/
- Australia: /ˈd͡ʒæn.jəɹi/
- Australia: /ˈd͡ʒæn.ɹi/
- Ireland: /ˈd͡ʒan.jʉuˌəɹi/
- Dublin: /ˈd͡ʒæn.juˌwəɹi/
- South-Asia: /ˈdʒanwəri/
- South-Asia: /ˈdʒan(j)ʊwəri/
- South-Asia: /dʒən(ə)wəˈri/
- obsolete: /ˈd͡ʒɪnəˌwɛəɹi/
- obsolete: /ˈd͡ʒɪnəˌweɪɹi/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /d͡ʒanjuˈaɾi/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [d͡ʒɐnˈɲwaː.ɾɪ]
- Tagalog: /djanjuˈaɾi/
- Tagalog: [d̪jɐn̪.jʊˈwaː.ɾɪ]
Popularity
January ranked #10448 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to January
Anthony
From Latin Antōnius, name of a Roman gens (with excrescent -h- suggested by an unetymological association with Ancient Greek ἄνθος (ánthos, “flower”)). The Roman clan name is…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Antony
A male given name from Latin, a mostly British spelling variant of Anthony. Unadapted borrowing from English Antony, from Latin Antōnius.Doublet of Antônio and Antão.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Charity
From charity in the Biblical sense of Christian love; first used by Puritans. In early Christian tradition, Faith, Hope and Charity were the martyred daughters of Saint Sophia.…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Destiny
From the noun destiny since the 1970s.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Dorothy
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Δωροθέα (Dōrothéa). Borrowed from English Dorothy.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ebony
From ebony. First used by African Americans in the 1970s.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for January
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abby
Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Agnes
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἁγνή (Hagnḗ), coming from Ancient Greek ἁγνός (hagnós, “pure, chaste”), Ancient Greek ἁγνεία (hagneía, “purity, chastity”). Doublet of Inez.…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for January
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abigail
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”). a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abigail Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Adamu
Borrowed from English Adam.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends U
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length