Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Jana

63 replies

Icouldor · 09/10/2026 19:48

How does everyone feel about the name Jana (jan-uh)? Unsure where and when I first heard it but I’ve been a bit obsessed with it lately. I can’t quite get DH to like it as much as I do. According to him, it sounds like the name of an uptight and serious woman. We already have a Margaret (which I think sounds much more serious).

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Giraffehaver · 09/10/2026 22:33

I worked with a very bubbly Australian woman who spelt it like Jana and pronounced it Jay-na

Arlingtonchase · 09/10/2026 22:06

When I saw the heading of your post I thought it would be pronounced "Jarner", so you might want to take that into account…

ProudCat · 09/10/2026 21:52

OK, this kid is going to have to go to school. I'm a teacher. Willing to bet money it'll be pronounced v-jan-uh. Come on.

Echobelly · 09/10/2026 21:52

I'd always think Yana, as it's a common central European name.

Freshrain · 09/10/2026 21:48

I know a Janna (pronounced somewhere between Jan -ah and Jan - uh .... I guess that depends a bit on your accent).

She says people struggle with it - she gets Jenna, Jan, Janette, Janet.

She is the only one I have come across.

LuckyCharmz · 09/10/2026 21:13

I know a Jana, prounoinced as Jan-uh. She is in her 40s, and a lovely, kind person if that helps!

TheEarlofButties · 09/10/2026 21:09

Could go with Jada or Dana?

Cla7 · 09/10/2026 21:05

Also a popular German name, you’ll find a lot of Jana’s in Germany, pronounced Yana.

Daffodilsinthespring · 09/10/2026 21:00

I would pronounce it Yarna too.

totally different style to your dd.

TheVeryAngryBanana · 09/10/2026 21:00

It's pronounced Yaana. Anything else is just wrong. It's the germanic version of Jane and equally safe but maybe less dated. DS was nearly Jana apart from he's DS!

NursieBernard · 09/10/2026 20:58

With that pronunciation I hope you don't live in Plymouth!

wouldyouactuallydothat · 09/10/2026 20:57

It sounds very Eastern European to me and quite harsh and grating (not suggesting those from Eastern Europe are obviously!)

I don’t like it to be honest. Margaret has that vintage style which is fashionable now.

babasaclover · 09/10/2026 20:57

@Icouldorits spelt with 2 no’s Janna which is nice but I know one and she is always having to spell it out as people assume she is saying Jenna

NamingNoNames · 09/10/2026 20:56

user293948849167 · 09/10/2026 20:50

I’d assume Yana or Jane-a too. Yana is pretty but not Jan-uh sorry. Why not just go for Jane or Jenna?

Or Janet.

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 09/10/2026 20:55

It's one of my DD's middle names. It's pronounced YUN-nah.

user293948849167 · 09/10/2026 20:50

I’d assume Yana or Jane-a too. Yana is pretty but not Jan-uh sorry. Why not just go for Jane or Jenna?

INeedaDietcoke · 09/10/2026 20:10

It's the name of the eldest daughter in the Duggar family. If you don't know them they are extremely evangelical/quiverfull American Christians, with several child abuse/neglect scandals to their name.

Jana Duggar herself seems one of the least offensive of a bad bunch, but they have pretty extreme beliefs and it's not something I'd want my child associated with.

That said, it's probably not pop-culture level knowledge here in the UK so probably not super widely known. I think it sounds better in an American accent with their long 'a' sound (like Aaahnna in Frozen or Biaaaaahnca in 10 Things I Hate About You) compared to my accent (London).

Herstruly · 09/10/2026 20:08

Jana Duggar is the only person I’ve heard of called Jana, and she’s obviously American.

I’ve never heard it pronounced Yana, but I don’t have many interactions with Eastern Europeans and Germans. I would pronounce it the English way upon first seeing it.

Bananalanacake · 09/10/2026 20:07

I know two in Germany, it's pronounced yarnah.

hopspot · 09/10/2026 20:07

RichardMarxisinnocent · 09/10/2026 19:55

Yep I'd also say it Yana, and it would make me think of the late Czech tennis player and former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna.
Edited to add that by Yana and mean more like Yah-na the Yah rhyming the the German for yes (ja)

Edited
Show quote history

This

TheCryingTheBitchAndTheFloordrobe · 09/10/2026 20:05

I love it. I would pronounce it Yana as my lovely, sadly gone Czech friend did. I don’t really like it with a J pronunciation

MyDuvetDay · 09/10/2026 20:05

Yep - it’s usually Eastern European and pronounced Yana.

Jana isn’t really a name. Maybe try Jenna.. or Janis?

FortyFacedFuckers · 09/10/2026 20:03

I know a girl called Jannah, I always thought it was a lovely name.

SirChenjins · 09/10/2026 20:02

I love Yana and would pronounce it that way. Jan-uh, not so much.

Bert2e · 09/10/2026 20:01

Only if you are Eastern European.