Jana

[Icouldor]

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).

Is it not pronounced 'Yana' I've not seen it with a J

if I saw the name I’d pronounce it Yana, but that’s only because it was a girl in my class’s name. She would be in her 50’s now

I have always read it as "Jayne-a".
I'm not sure if I have ever actually heard it as spoken out loud.

I know a Jana (and it is, indeed, pronounced Jan-uh!) and she’s the loveliest lady… but I admit I do often think how her name just doesn’t suit her. To my ear, it’s quite harsh and, dare I say, a little ugly. I’m sorry!

Sounds muslim

I’d think you were eastern/southern european and it was pronounced Yana

I have a friend called Jana, she’s from Slovakia and it is pronounced Yana.

I know a Jana, she is Canadian and pronounces it Jahn - Ah

The person I knew with that name pronounced it Yanna. Her family was originally from Czechoslovakia - as it was then.

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)

Jana Novotna, Czech Wimbledon champion, pronounced it Yar-nah. She was absolutely lovely and it's a very nice name.

I know two - 'Yana' and 'Jayna'

Only if you are Eastern European.

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

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

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

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

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

This

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

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.

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).

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

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

Or Janet.