Jill

Last updated
Jill
April Baby Jack and Jill.jpg
Jack and Jill by Kate Greenaway, 1900.
GenderPrimarily feminine
Origin
Region of originEngland
Other names
Variant form(s)Juliana

Jill is an English feminine given name, a short form of the name Gillian and Ghislaine, which in turn originated as a Middle English variant of Juliana. Jill was such a common name that it had an everygirl quality, as in the 15th century English nursery rhyme Jack and Jill. [1] By the 17th century, the name had become a term for a "common street jade," implying promiscuous sexual behavior, and declined in usage in the Anglosphere. [2] Usage of the name increased again in the 20th century. The name was most used in English-speaking countries from the 1930s to the 1970s. It is currently well-used in the Netherlands. [3]

Contents

People with the given name

Fictional characters

Jill as middle name

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References

  1. Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 143. ISBN   0-19-861060-2.
  2. "Full text of "Curiosities of Puritan nomenclature"". archive.org. 1880. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. Campbell, Mike. "Jill". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 30 December 2023.