Baby Name of the Day: Justine

The baby name Justine blends French origins with a trim, 21st century sound. But it’s mostly gone unnoticed in recent years.

Thanks to Virginia for suggesting her daughter’s middle name as our Baby Name of the Day.

THE MEANING OF THE NAME JUSTINE

Our word just means right.

But it’s more than a synonym for correct. To be just is to be morally upstanding. Justice is the art of rewarding or punishing based on such principles. It suggests equity and righteousness.

The word comes from the Latin iustus – upright, lawful, complete. No question this is a heavy-hitter of a virtue, weighty and significant. 

More forms of the name, across gender lines and languages include Justo, Giustino, Giustina, and Justyna. It’s almost a classic name, time-tested and heard throughout Europe and beyond.

FAMOUS WOMEN NAMED JUSTINE

Prior to the 20th century, a number of women answered to the name.

• Saint Justine or Justina of Padua was an early Christian martyr, and is now considered the patron saint of her hometown. 
• The Marquis de Sade’s Justine, or The Misfortunes of Virtue, first published in 1791, is the story of a woman who tried to live a good life. Despite striving to be above reproach, young Justine constantly falls victim. There’s no happy ending. The character’s name might have been based on a real-life French courtesan from earlier in the 18th century. 

That’s quite a contrast – an Italian saint and a scandalous novel. 

But the baby name Justine appears in plenty of other instances, including: 

• Glamorous Justine Johnstone graduated from the Ziegfield Follies girl to Broadway to a brief silent film career. Johnstone left it all behind to study science at Columbia University. If you’ve ever had an I.V., you owe something to Ms. Johnstone’s work.
• Another literary Justine is part of LawrenceDurrell’s Alexandriaquartet. First published in 1957, the novels are set in 1930s and 40s Egypt.
• In 1969, The Archies – comprised entirely of cartoon characters borrowed from the Archie comics and Saturday morning cartoons – recorded a song called “Justine.” Linda Rondstadt also recorded a single titled “Justine” in 1980. Neither song was a hit, but doubtless both inspired some parents.
• In 1977 bestseller The Thorn Birds, Meggie’s daughter is named Justine. Colleen McCullough’s novel was a smash hit, and the 1983 television mini-series the followed also became a sensation.
• During the 1980s, sitcom Family Ties introduced us to the Keaton family of Columbus, Ohio – parents Steven and Elyse, and children Mallory, Alex, and Jennifer. As Alex P. Keaton, Michael J. Fox became the breakout star. But Justine Bateman, who played Mallory, also rose to prominence. 

1980s FAVORITE

It wasn’t just The Thorn Birds and the actress increasing the baby name Justine’s profile.

Justin – as in Timberlake and Bieber – soared in popularity during the 1980s. Between 1987 and 1990, the name ranked in the US Top Ten. It was the age of Joshua and Jason. Justin just plain fit. And while it’s mostly in dad-name territory now, Justin remains a Top 200 pick. 

Justine must have felt like the perfect name in a moment dominated by our preferences for the initial J, and names like Jessica, Jacqueline, Julie, and Jordan in favor.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME JUSTINE?

Beyond the letter J, Justine’s tailored style matched up with 1980s favorites like Allison and Danielle. It must have felt like a perfect baby name for the era.

Justine appears in the US Top 1000 nearly every year since the 1980s. 

In 1983, the name surged in popularity, reaching an all-time high of #413. The combination of the mini-series and the popular actress pushed Justine to #177 in 1988.

But it didn’t quite stick. As Family Ties left the air and Bateman’s career floundered, Justine faded, too. 

By 2008, the name left the US Top 1000 entirely. It declined along with names like Christine and Michelle, an earlier wave of gently French imports. 

In France, Justine peaked in the early 1990s, and is now on the wane.

As of 2024, just 44 girls were named Justine. Another 42 were named Justina.

MEANINGFUL AND RARE

The baby name Justine isn’t gone. In 2011’s Melacholia, Kirsten Dunst won Best Actress at the presitgious Cannes Film Festival playing a character by the name. 

And it is still used in small numbers.

Justine feels like a solid compromise. It’s a virtue name, but not as obvious as Promise or Hope. It fits with French names like Genevieve, but it’s a little more compact. And while it’s broadly familiar, the name is very uncommon for girls born today. 

There’s something richly meaningful about Justine. The name’s under-the-radar status could be a bonus. It’s an alternative to Josephine, a sister for Charlotte.

What do you think of the baby name Justine?

First published on March 15, 2012, this post was revised on March 22, 2016 and February 27, 2026.