Jane

For parents seeking a simple and spectacular name, look no further than Jane. Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard about plain Jane, Jane Doe and other Jane references that put it in a less-than-bright light. But what about novelist Jane Austen, anthropologist Jane Goodall and actress Jane Lynch—just a few real-life Janes who’ve achieved great success and made the name one of the most recognizable since the 16th century. Fluff-free and feisty, Jane, meaning “God is gracious,” is as classic as name can get.