Janine

Janine is a form of Jeannine, a French diminutive of Jeanne. Through Jeanne and Jean, it belongs to the large John name family, whose Hebrew origin is traditionally interpreted as God is gracious. The final -ine gives the name an affectionate French form while keeping that longstanding religious meaning.

Although its family includes very short names such as Jean and longer forms such as Joanna, Janine has a distinct two-syllable rhythm. Its spelling is particularly close to Jeannine, but the single n near the beginning makes the difference visible. A parent may choose it to echo a relative named Jeanne, Jean, or John without using exactly the same name.