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 — 18 0.0051%
1911 — 22 0.0059%
1912 — 42 0.0083%
1913 — 41 0.0072%
1914 — 39 0.0056%
1915 — 102 0.0112%
1916 — 125 0.0129%
1917 — 121 0.0121%
1918 — 124 0.0116%
1919 — 103 0.0098%
1920 — 118 0.0106%
1921 — 101 0.0088%
1922 — 125 0.0112%
1923 — 156 0.0139%
1924 — 157 0.0135%
1925 — 190 0.0168%
1926 — 233 0.0212%
1927 — 191 0.0173%
1928 — 233 0.0218%
1929 — 224 0.0216%
1930 — 319 0.0305%
1931 — 269 0.0273%
1932 — 306 0.031%
1933 — 326 0.035%
1934 — 439 0.0454%
1935 — 376 0.0387%
1936 — 319 0.0331%
1937 — 393 0.0399%
1938 — 380 0.0371%
1939 — 333 0.0327%
1940 — 363 0.0342%
1941 — 376 0.0334%
1942 — 458 0.0363%
1943 — 470 0.036%
1944 — 414 0.0334%
1945 — 390 0.032%
1946 — 460 0.0312%
1947 — 453 0.0271%
1948 — 471 0.0295%
1949 — 427 0.0265%
1950 — 445 0.0276%
1951 — 399 0.0235%
1952 — 364 0.0209%
1953 — 359 0.0203%
1954 — 432 0.0236%
1955 — 422 0.0229%
1956 — 441 0.0233%
1957 — 550 0.0286%
1958 — 632 0.0334%
1959 — 728 0.0383%
1960 — 785 0.0414%
1961 — 833 0.0441%
1962 — 795 0.0433%
1963 — 860 0.0479%
1964 — 838 0.0476%
1965 — 892 0.0545%
1966 — 863 0.0553%
1967 — 826 0.0544%
1968 — 1,010 0.0673%
1969 — 1,185 0.0769%
1970 — 1,307 0.0821%
1971 — 1,349 0.0898%
1972 — 1,411 0.1036%
1973 — 1,643 0.1267%
1974 — 1,764 0.1357%
1975 — 1,669 0.1299%
1976 — 1,706 0.1324%
1977 — 1,547 0.1148%
1978 — 1,334 0.0992%
1979 — 1,369 0.0971%
1980 — 1,710 0.117%
1981 — 1,807 0.1229%
1982 — 1,804 0.1207%
1983 — 2,115 0.1433%
1984 — 3,324 0.2234%
1985 — 2,757 0.1816%
1986 — 2,208 0.1463%
1987 — 2,038 0.1336%
1988 — 2,193 0.1407%
1989 — 2,104 0.1304%
1990 — 2,219 0.1339%
1991 — 1,932 0.1185%
1992 — 1,808 0.1133%
1993 — 1,615 0.1036%
1994 — 1,590 0.1036%
1995 — 1,574 0.1044%
1996 — 1,378 0.092%
1997 — 1,392 0.0941%
1998 — 1,253 0.0837%
1999 — 1,302 0.0869%
2000 — 1,326 0.0868%
2001 — 1,529 0.1015%
2002 — 1,296 0.0865%
2003 — 1,277 0.0839%
2004 — 1,260 0.0827%
2005 — 1,139 0.0745%
2006 — 1,262 0.0806%
2007 — 1,372 0.087%
2008 — 1,169 0.0756%
2009 — 1,073 0.0718%
2010 — 1,044 0.0724%
2011 — 947 0.0665%
2012 — 933 0.0655%
2013 — 902 0.0634%
2014 — 992 0.0681%
2015 — 1,027 0.0706%
2016 — 1,249 0.0866%
2017 — 1,310 0.0939%
2018 — 1,419 0.1033%
2019 — 1,238 0.0915%
2020 — 1,121 0.0881%
2021 — 975 0.0798%
2022 — 977 0.0741%
2023 — 895 0.0692%

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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.

11 Comments

  1. Joanna Jeanne – double first name. Named after both of my (mama) grandmothers, Joanne, and Jean. Both these names means “God’s grace”. “Ahadi“, the middle name, is the Swahili word for promise. Swahili is my husband’s first language and my second language. We had a miscarriage last year and I named that baby “Baby Promise“. God has been so faithful to keep His promise to us of a child; hence, the middle name Ahadi! So, our baby’s name means “God’s doubly gracious promise”. 🙂

    Reply

    • Joanna is a beautiful name. I am blessed to have it.

      Reply

  2. It was my grandmothers name so it was easy to pick.
    We like the nickname JoJo.

    Reply

  3. My name is JoAnna!

    Reply

  4. We thought it was a beautiful name, and knowing it is Biblical made it even more perfect. Also, the definition being “gift from God” is so wonderful ?? Joanna is smart and absolutely graceful.

    Reply

  5. We named her after my husband’s grandmother. The name felt cozy and warm!

    Reply

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. I love the meaning of the name

    Reply

  10. 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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