Johan
Johan is a Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iōhannēs / Jōhannēs, the Latin form of the Greek name Iōánnēs (Ἰωάννης), from the Hebrew name Yochanan, itself derived from the extended form Yehochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". It is uncommon as a surname. Its English equivalent is John.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Johan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Johan is a Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iōhannēs / Jōhannēs, the Latin form of the Greek name Iōánnēs (Ἰωάννης), from the Hebrew name Yochanan, itself derived from the extended form Yehochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious". It is uncommon as a surname. Its English equivalent is John.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Dutch
The Story of Johan
American parents first put Johan on the record books as a baby boy name in 1910, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 659 Johans were born — ranking #463 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 35% of all recorded Johans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #524 among baby boy names with 571 births, gradually rising (+11%). In total, more than 15K Johans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Johan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Johan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Johan
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Johan III (1537–1592), King of Sweden
- Johan (Archbishop of Uppsala) , late 13th-century Polish-born cleric
- Johan Alho (1907–1982), Finnish footballer and a football referee
- Johan Andersson (born 1974), Swedish video game designer
- Johan Beck-Friis (1890–1969), Swedish diplomat
- Johan Berisha (born 1979), Swiss footballer
- Johan Bleeker (born 1942), Dutch space scientist
- Johan Bouma (born 1940), Dutch soil scientist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Johan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Johan 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 Johan
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How popular is Johan in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Johan most popular?
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About the name Johan
Johan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1910 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Johan's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #451. Use the chart and map above to compare Johan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy 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.