I began thinking the other night how differently I picture a [name_u]Joan[/name_u], a [name_f]Jane[/name_f], and a [name_u]Jean[/name_u], despite the similarity of the names.
[name_u]Mischa[/name_u] had a wonderful description of a [name_u]Joan[/name_u] the other day which I cannot quote properly now, but the gist of it was (I think) that [name_u]Joan[/name_u] was a most adult name, the name of someone who is well-adjusted.
I picture [name_u]Joan[/name_u] in her middle years.
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] I see as a lively and outdoorsy girl.
And [name_u]Jean[/name_u], I see as an older woman, neat and tidy.
I see a [name_u]Jean[/name_u] as blond and giggly, but not stupid… just a bit of a bombshell who surprises you with how clever and insightful she is. She drives a roadster and walks either five dogs at once, or one ocelot. There’s obvious elements of [name_u]Jean[/name_u] [name_f]Harlow[/name_f] there.
I see [name_u]Joan[/name_u] as somber and brunette and protective of her friends, someone described as solid and dependable. You wouldn’t want to make her angry defending someone, because then the lioness would come out, but most of the time she’s baking cookies or organizing things.
[name_f]Jane[/name_f] has so many images with it I can’t decide. It’s the perfect name to me, in that it doesn’t insist on a particular type. Artsy, proper, saucy, serious, cowgirl… I can picture a [name_f]Jane[/name_f] being any of those. The name is a chameleon.
about [name_u]Jean[/name_u] [name_f]Harlow[/name_f]… I suppose I think more of [name_u]Jean[/name_u] Pargeter as played by [name_f]Judi[/name_f] Dench on the British comedy As Time Goes By.
It’s perfectly plausible, just a complete 180 from my image.
Oh, I also have bits of I [name_u]Dream[/name_u] of [name_f]Jeannie[/name_f], I think.
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] I didn’t bug you. I wasn’t trying to raise a fuss. I just was playing stream of consciousness with my images. I think [name_u]Jean[/name_u] gets the least love of all those names, but I rather like it.
I love [name_f]Jane[/name_f] & [name_u]Joan[/name_u]–classic, accomplished, lovely. I see [name_u]Jean[/name_u] as a boy’s name, and [name_f]Jeanne[/name_f] as a classic pairing w/a gorgeous [name_m]French[/name_m] fn.
The only people I know named [name_u]Jean[/name_u] are over the age of 50. I associate the name [name_u]Joan[/name_u] with mean women. Lol. Like [name_u]Joan[/name_u] [name_m]Crawford[/name_m] (“No wire hangers!”) and a friend’s mean mom when I was growing up. I love the name “[name_f]Jane[/name_f].” It’s timeless, like “[name_f]Kate[/name_f].”
I think I would choose to be named [name_f]Jane[/name_f] as a girl (I just can’t see a toddler [name_u]Joan[/name_u]), then [name_u]Joan[/name_u] in the middle, and [name_u]Jean[/name_u] at the end. Maybe that’s how we should be named!
