Janice is a female given name of Latin origin, meaning "gift from God." It was coined by the English author John Galsworthy in his Forsyte Saga series, where it was used for one of the main characters. The name Janice became popular in the mid-20th century and has since been widely used around the world. It is often associated with its variant spellings, including Janet, Jane, and Jean. Despite its Latin origin, Janice is considered a predominantly English name, as it gained prominence through British literature. In some cultures, Janice may also be seen as a unisex name due to its similarity to other names like Jason or Janet that are used for both boys and girls. However, in most cases, Janice remains a popular choice for girls' names, reflecting the timeless appeal of its original meaning, "gift from God.
Janice has been a popular name in the United States since the early 20th century. According to data from the Social Security Administration, there were six births with the name Janice each year in 1926 and 1927. The number of births then fluctuated, reaching a peak of 47 births in 1940.
The popularity of the name Janice continued to rise throughout the 1940s, with 38 births in 1941, 45 births in 1942, and 39 births in 1943. The number of births then decreased slightly, but remained relatively high through the early 1950s.
In the mid-1950s, the popularity of the name Janice began to decline. There were 37 births in 1955, followed by 31 births in 1956 and 25 births in 1957. The number of births continued to decrease throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, reaching a low of six births each year from 1969 to 1974.
Despite the decline in popularity, Janice remained a recognizable name in the United States. There were still several births with the name each year throughout the late 20th century, with peaks of nine births in 1985 and eight births in 1987.
Overall, there have been a total of 1,157 births with the name Janice in the United States since 1926. While the popularity of the name has fluctuated over the years, it remains an enduring choice for parents seeking a classic, feminine moniker.