Joanna Name Meaning

Joanna means “God is gracious,” which is a powerful meaning for such a small name. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to be reminded that they are the recipient of God’s grace? Additionally, the name Joanna also has connotations of kindness and generosity, making it a perfect name for a girl who will grow up to be a strong, compassionate woman.

Origins of the Name Joanna

The name Joanna is of Hebrew origin and is a variation of the name Johanna, which is the feminine form of John. In Hebrew, the name John means “God is gracious,” which is a pretty powerful meaning for such a small name.

History of the Name Joanna

Joanna has been around for centuries and has been used in many different cultures and languages. In the Bible, there are several notable women named Joanna, including the wife of King Herod’s steward and a woman who supported Jesus’ ministry. In literature, Joanna has been used as the name of characters in works by Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and George Eliot.

Popularity of the Name Joanna

In terms of popularity, Joanna has had its ups and downs. The name was quite popular in the early 20th century, but saw a decline in popularity in the latter half of the century. However, it has seen a resurgence in recent years and is currently in the top 1000 names for girls in the United States.

Final Thoughts on the Name Joanna

In conclusion, Joanna is a classic, timeless name with a rich history and meaning. It means “God is gracious” and has connotations of kindness and generosity. It may not be the most popular name, but it’s definitely a name worth considering for your little girl.

Infographic of Joanna name meaning, which is A Latin female variant of John, Joanna means God is gracious.
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Joanna Name Popularity

How popular is the name Joanna? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 606 18 0.0051%
1911 580 22 0.0059%
1912 548 42 0.0083%
1913 584 41 0.0072%
1914 660 39 0.0056%
1915 526 102 0.0112%
1916 504 125 0.0129%
1917 520 121 0.0121%
1918 538 124 0.0116%
1919 573 103 0.0098%
1920 563 118 0.0106%
1921 613 101 0.0088%
1922 547 125 0.0112%
1923 489 156 0.0139%
1924 499 157 0.0135%
1925 448 190 0.0168%
1926 408 233 0.0212%
1927 452 191 0.0173%
1928 405 233 0.0218%
1929 406 224 0.0216%
1930 348 319 0.0305%
1931 362 269 0.0273%
1932 338 306 0.031%
1933 322 326 0.035%
1934 280 439 0.0454%
1935 300 376 0.0387%
1936 324 319 0.0331%
1937 297 393 0.0399%
1938 303 380 0.0371%
1939 318 333 0.0327%
1940 315 363 0.0342%
1941 320 376 0.0334%
1942 308 458 0.0363%
1943 306 470 0.036%
1944 317 414 0.0334%
1945 331 390 0.032%
1946 333 460 0.0312%
1947 362 453 0.0271%
1948 343 471 0.0295%
1949 365 427 0.0265%
1950 360 445 0.0276%
1951 388 399 0.0235%
1952 422 364 0.0209%
1953 435 359 0.0203%
1954 397 432 0.0236%
1955 405 422 0.0229%
1956 410 441 0.0233%
1957 373 550 0.0286%
1958 357 632 0.0334%
1959 345 728 0.0383%
1960 329 785 0.0414%
1961 320 833 0.0441%
1962 323 795 0.0433%
1963 309 860 0.0479%
1964 317 838 0.0476%
1965 287 892 0.0545%
1966 283 863 0.0553%
1967 293 826 0.0544%
1968 260 1,010 0.0673%
1969 242 1,185 0.0769%
1970 234 1,307 0.0821%
1971 220 1,349 0.0898%
1972 197 1,411 0.1036%
1973 166 1,643 0.1267%
1974 154 1,764 0.1357%
1975 162 1,669 0.1299%
1976 152 1,706 0.1324%
1977 173 1,547 0.1148%
1978 190 1,334 0.0992%
1979 193 1,369 0.0971%
1980 163 1,710 0.117%
1981 155 1,807 0.1229%
1982 161 1,804 0.1207%
1983 139 2,115 0.1433%
1984 88 3,324 0.2234%
1985 100 2,757 0.1816%
1986 126 2,208 0.1463%
1987 134 2,038 0.1336%
1988 131 2,193 0.1407%
1989 142 2,104 0.1304%
1990 138 2,219 0.1339%
1991 152 1,932 0.1185%
1992 166 1,808 0.1133%
1993 176 1,615 0.1036%
1994 184 1,590 0.1036%
1995 186 1,574 0.1044%
1996 209 1,378 0.092%
1997 209 1,392 0.0941%
1998 239 1,253 0.0837%
1999 237 1,302 0.0869%
2000 238 1,326 0.0868%
2001 206 1,529 0.1015%
2002 242 1,296 0.0865%
2003 251 1,277 0.0839%
2004 248 1,260 0.0827%
2005 283 1,139 0.0745%
2006 256 1,262 0.0806%
2007 249 1,372 0.087%
2008 281 1,169 0.0756%
2009 301 1,073 0.0718%
2010 301 1,044 0.0724%
2011 318 947 0.0665%
2012 319 933 0.0655%
2013 342 902 0.0634%
2014 318 992 0.0681%
2015 302 1,027 0.0706%
2016 241 1,249 0.0866%
2017 233 1,310 0.0939%
2018 208 1,419 0.1033%
2019 250 1,238 0.0915%
2020 257 1,121 0.0881%
2021 292 975 0.0798%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Joanna

If you like Joanna, you’ll love these other names like Joanna.

What names are diminutives of Joanna?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Joanna sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Joanna, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Jane

God is gracious

Hebrew

Janet

“The gracious gift of God.” A diminutive form of Joanna, the feminine form of John.

Scottish

Janette

God is gracious

Scottish

Jean

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jeanne

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jennie

A variant spelling of Jenny.

English

Jenny

“The gracious gift of God.” A diminutive form of Joanna.

English

Joan

God is gracious

Hebrew

What names are variants of Joanna?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Joanna.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Jo

A diminutive form of Josephine.

American

Jo-Ann
Jo-Anne
Joana

God is gracious

Hebrew

Joanie

God is gracious

Hebrew

Joann
Joanne
Joeann
Joeanna
Joeanne
Johanna

God is gracious

Hebrew

Johannah

God is gracious

Hebrew

What names sound like Joanna?

If you like how Joanna sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Joanna.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Janna

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jeanna

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jianna

Variant of Gianna

Italian

Johnna

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jonna

God is gracious

Hebrew

Joyanna

Joy

Latin

Yoanna

God is gracious

Hebrew

What names are similar to Joanna?

Find a name that’s like Joanna, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Ioanna

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

Jean

God is gracious

Hebrew

Yoana

God is gracious

Hebrew

Lists With Joanna

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Joanna.

5 Comments

  1. I love the meaning of the name (God is gracious) and also that there are a few lovely nicknames to choose from if we want

    Reply

  2. My husband and his father are both Joseph and boy of our mother’s middle names start with Ann so coming to Joanna was pretty easy. Then we paired it with her aunt’s middle name Makay. Joanna Makay Messina- we thought it sounded mature and unique.

    Reply

  3. We were looking fora “J” name and wanted to be traditional as well as biblical. Turns out Joanna was one of Jesus’s disciples that walked along with him. Her name also means “God is gracious” and he surely is when he blessed us with her.

    Reply

  4. I love the meaning of the name

    Reply

  5. I wanted her to be names after her father’s mom and her name was Joan hence the name Joanna and I also found out it was a bible name and that just sealed the deal for me.

    Reply

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