This list includes 26 Literary girl names that start with J, from “Jadzia” to “Jyn”. They span classic and modern literature, mixing established names and author-created inventions.
Literary girl names that start with J are female given names found in literature or coined by authors. For example, “Jadzia” comes from science fiction while “Jane” anchors classic 19th-century novels.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Pronunciation, and Meaning/Notes.
Name: The listed given name as it appears in literature, helping you spot options and match sounds.
Origin (Author/work & language): Shows the character or source and original language so you can trace literary context and cultural roots.
Pronunciation: Provides a simple phonetic respelling so you can say the name confidently and compare similar sounds.
Meaning/Notes: Gives etymology, literary significance, and usage notes to help you understand connotations and suitability.
Literary girl names that start with J
| Name | Origin (Author / Work / Language) | Pronunciation | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juliet | William Shakespeare / Romeo and Juliet / English | jew-lee-ET | youthful; from Julius family name | Shakespeare’s tragic heroine, the archetypal romantic young woman in Western literature. |
| Jessica | William Shakespeare / The Merchant of Venice / English | JES-i-kah | possibly “foresight” (from Hebrew Iscah) | Shylock’s daughter; Shakespeare likely coined or popularized Jessica in English drama. |
| Jane | Charlotte Brontë / Jane Eyre / English | JAYN | “God is gracious” (Hebrew origin) | The independent, morally strong governess and central heroine of a Victorian classic. |
| Janie | Zora Neale Hurston / Their Eyes Were Watching God / English | JAN-ee | diminutive of Jane; “God is gracious” | Janie Crawford’s coming-of-age voice is a landmark of African-American and feminist literature. |
| Jo | Louisa May Alcott / Little Women / English | JOH | diminutive of Josephine; “God will increase” | Tomboy writer Jo March is one of children’s literature’s most beloved, independent heroines. |
| Josephine | Louisa May Alcott / Little Women / English | joh-seh-FEEN | “God will increase” | Jo March’s formal name; a widely used literary name in 19th-century fiction. |
| Jocasta | Sophocles (and Greek myth) / Oedipus Rex / Ancient Greek | joh-KAS-tah | uncertain; possibly “shining” | Oedipus’s mother and wife in Greek tragedy, central to the Oedipus myth’s dramatic irony. |
| Juno | Virgil / Aeneid / Latin | JOO-no | protector; Roman queen of gods | Powerful Roman goddess who opposes Aeneas in the Aeneid, a major figure in classical epic. |
| Julia | William Shakespeare / The Two Gentlemen of Verona (and classical sources) / English/Latin | ju-LEE-uh | youthful; from Julius | Romantic figure in Shakespearean comedy; a familiar classical name used widely in literature. |
| Judith | Book of Judith / Deuterocanonical Bible / Hebrew/Greek | JUH-dith | “woman of Judea” | Courageous biblical heroine who beheads Holofernes; name reused in many literary retellings. |
| Joanna | Geoffrey Chaucer (medieval references) and later literature / Middle English | jo-AN-uh | “God is gracious” | A long-standing literary name appearing from medieval tales to modern novels. |
| Jill | Traditional nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill” / English folk verse | JIL | diminutive of Gillian; youthful | Classic nursery-rhyme figure paired with Jack, known across generations of readers. |
| Jemima | Book of Job; Beatrix Potter / Biblical and children’s literature / Hebrew/English | jeh-MY-muh | “dove” (Hebrew) | Biblical name revived in children’s tales as Beatrix Potter’s gentle Jemima Puddle-Duck. |
| Jessamine | Victorian and Romantic poetry (used by Tennyson and others) / English | JES-uh-min | variant of jasmine; jasmine flower | A poetic floral name used in 19th-century verse for its fragrant, romantic connotations. |
| Johanna | Victorian penny dreadfuls and later musical adaptation (Sweeney Todd) / English | jo-HAN-uh | feminine of John; “God is gracious” | Johanna Barker appears in Victorian fiction and Sondheim’s musical as an innocent heroine. |
| Jocelyn | Medieval Old French chansons and later English poetry / Old French/English | JOS-lin or JOSS-uh-lin | from Old German personal name Gautzelin | A medieval name that moved into English literature as a gentle, lyrical feminine name. |
| Jezebel | 1 Kings / Hebrew Bible / Hebrew | JEZ-uh-bel | possibly “not exalted” or Phoenician origin | Notorious biblical queen used in literature as a byword for treachery and seduction. |
| Jael | Book of Judges / Hebrew Bible / Hebrew | JAY-el | “mountain goat” | Biblical heroine who kills the enemy general Sisera; celebrated in Hebrew poetry and later literature. |
| Junia | New Testament (Romans 16:7) / Greek | ju-NEE-uh | feminine of Junius; “youthful” | Early Christian woman mentioned by Paul; discussed across theological and literary scholarship. |
| Juturna | Virgil / Aeneid (and Roman myth) / Latin | joo-TUR-nah | uncertain; ancient goddess name | A minor Roman goddess (sister of Turnus) appearing in Virgil’s epic and Roman myth cycles. |
| Jasmine | Persian/Arabic poetry and folktale traditions; appears in Western translations and Victorian verse / Persian/Arabic/English | JAZ-min or JAZ-meen | “jasmine flower” | Floral name with roots in Persian literature, later popularized in Western tales and poetry. |
| Jadzia | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (television tie-in fiction) / English (screenplay/novelizations) | JAD-zee-uh | created Trill name; no single origin meaning | Science-fiction character Jadzia Dax, known for intelligence, warmth, and cross-cultural appeal. |
| Jyn | Film and tie-in novelizations (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) / English (screenplay/novel) | JIN | created name; no single etymology | Jyn Erso, modern cinematic heroine whose short, punchy name has been adapted by fans and baby-name lists. |
| Janet | James Joyce / “Ulysses” (minor uses) and wider literature / English | JAN-et | diminutive of Jane; “God is gracious” | A familiar literary name appearing across modern and earlier fiction as an everywoman figure. |
| Julia (Juliana variant) | Miguel de Cervantes, Shakespeare, and medieval literature / Spanish/English/Latin | jew-lee-AH or ju-lee-AN-uh | youthful; derivative of Julius | Appears in multiple literary traditions; Juliana/Julia often signifies classical refinement. |
| Josephine (notable uses) | Honoré de Balzac and numerous 19th-century novels / French/English | joh-seh-FEEN | “God will increase” | A popular 19th-century literary name borne by sympathetic and aristocratic heroines alike. |
Descriptions
Juliet
Jessica
Jane
Janie
Jo
Josephine
Jocasta
Juno
Julia
Judith
Joanna
Jill
Jemima
Jessamine
Johanna
Jocelyn
Jezebel
Jael
Junia
Juturna
Jasmine
Jadzia
Jyn
Janet
Julia (Juliana variant)
Josephine (notable uses)