Jain apne aap ko samanya roop se “Jain” kehte hain. Is shabd ki jad “Jina” se hai, jo arth hai “jeeta/jeetne wala” ya “conqueror” (vairagya aur aatma-jnan par vijay prapt karne wala).

• Isliye jo log Jain dharm ko follow karte hain, wo apne aap ko Jain ya Jain-adhram ke anuyayi kehte hain.
• Digambar aur Śvetambar dono paramaparam ke shikshaon ko mante hain, isliye dono me vyakti khud ko Jain hi kehte hain. Antar itihasik prakatro me dharm-vyakhya thodi alag ho sakti hai, par mool shabd “Jain” hi istemal hota hai.
• Kuch log “Jina-pujak” ya “Jina-santapriya” jaise shabdon ka bhi upyog karte hain, par aam taur par sabhi ko “Jain” kehte hain.

Yeh dharm ke mool siddhanton—ahimsa (hinsa se doori), aneka-virti (anekta ki samvedna), aur tirthankar ki upasna—par adharit hai.