Joanna
Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from Koine Greek: Ἰωάννα, romanized: Iōanna from Hebrew: יוֹחָנָה, romanized: Yôḥānāh, lit. 'God is gracious'. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in English are Jan, Jane, Janet, Janice, Jean, and Jeanne.
- English
- Polish
- Biblical
Meaning & Origin of Joanna
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from Koine Greek: Ἰωάννα, romanized: Iōanna from Hebrew: יוֹחָנָה, romanized: Yôḥānāh, lit. 'God is gracious'. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in English are Jan, Jane, Janet, Janice, Jean, and Jeanne.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Polish
- Biblical
The Story of Joanna
The earliest SSA record of Joanna as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 26 babies received it. 1984 was its biggest year on record, with 3,332 newborns named Joanna — #88 in the national rankings. About 20% of every Joanna on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Joanna ranks #359 for baby girls with 857 births, falling sharply (-28%). All told, over 113K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Joanna
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Joanna. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Joanna
Phonetically similar names — useful when Joanna is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joanna
What does the name Joanna mean?
What is the origin of the name Joanna?
How popular is Joanna in 2026?
When was Joanna most popular?
In which U.S. states is Joanna most popular?
Is Joanna a unisex name?
What names go well with Joanna?
What are nicknames or variants of Joanna?
About the name Joanna
Joanna is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 113K births in the dataset. Joanna's peak popularity came in 1984 when it ranked #88. Use the chart and map above to compare Joanna's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1984 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.