 Jack and Jill by Kate Greenaway, 1900. | |
| Gender | Primarily feminine |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Region of origin | England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Juliana |
Jill is an English feminine given name, a short form of the name Gillian, 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]
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 143. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ "Full text of "Curiosities of Puritan nomenclature"". archive.org. 1880. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Campbell, Mike. "Jill". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 30 December 2023.