Question

Were the given names Janet and Jane/Jean interchangeable in Scotland?

Comments

not an expert, but I suspect Janet comes from a gaelic name, some version of Sionnet with a sibilant "s".

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I agree with Linda Bell's answer. Jean and Jane interchangeable in Scottish naming and Jessie is usually another form of Janet although I think there are some cases of Jane being used for Janet.

There are quite a number of variations the usual Betty interchaning with Elizabeth, more often Betsy in earlier times and if going back to 16th century Isabel is often interchangable with Elizabeth.

Others are Nan or Nancy for Agnes, Giles becoming Grace, Meg for Margaret and so on. With male names Gaelic versions sometimes are shown by an English version. Iain being John, but in Scots Jock or Jack, Donald becomes Daniel, Sheamus is James. Alexander was a popular given name in Scotland (we had good kings of that name) and so there are numerable versions Alec, Sandy, Cy. George was less common but in Scots may appear as Dod especially in NE Scotland.

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In my family, Peter and Patrick were also used interchangeably.

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Peter and Patrick were usually interchangeable but some of my 16th century forebears, eg Hays of Megginch had them as individual names for two eldest sons.

Answer 1

Jean and Jane, are the same in Scotland.

Janet is often interchanged on records as Jessie so not included in the Jean/Jane first name.

Comments

Thank you, Linda!

By the way, Bell is one of the surnames associated with this question.  Several tree's have identified a Mary Bell and Robert Beck as my ancestors parents.  Which sounds good but no sources.  They did have a daughter named Janet.  But my ancestors name is Jane/Jean.  

So you have confirmed for me that the birth record does not belong to her.

Answer 2

I found that to be true in my family.