Editing Jane (section)

=== Tudor origins ===

The name Jane first became widely used in [[England]] during the 16th century. It appeared with increasing frequency as a distinct spelling, separating from the older [[Joan]], which had dominated the [[Middle Ages]] as the standard feminine form of [[John]].<ref>Withycombe, E.G. (1977). ''The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names''. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press.</ref> The name was notably borne by [[Jane Seymour]], third wife of [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]] and mother of [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]], which contributed greatly to its fashionability in the Tudor court and beyond.

[[Lady Jane Grey]] (1537–1554), who reigned as [[Queen of England]] for nine days in 1553 before her deposition and execution, is among the most historically prominent bearers of the name in this period.