Johann
Johann is a German male given name. It is derived from Iōhannēs / Jōhannēs, which is the Latin form of the Greek name Iōánnēs (Ἰωάννης), itself derived from Hebrew name Yochanan in turn from its extended form Yehochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious" or "Yahweh is merciful". Its English language equivalent is John. It is uncommon as a surname.
- German
- Icelandic
Meaning & Origin of Johann
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Johann is a German male given name. It is derived from Iōhannēs / Jōhannēs, which is the Latin form of the Greek name Iōánnēs (Ἰωάννης), itself derived from Hebrew name Yochanan in turn from its extended form Yehochanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious" or "Yahweh is merciful". Its English language equivalent is John. It is uncommon as a surname.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Icelandic
The Story of Johann
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Johann as a girl name dates back to 1918, when 5 babies received it. 1934 was its biggest year on record, with 26 newborns named Johann — #1,440 in the national rankings. The 1930s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 30% of all recorded Johanns. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2004 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 650 Johanns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Johann as a boy name dates back to 1912, when 5 babies received it. 2010 was its biggest year on record, with 222 newborns named Johann — #910 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Johanns. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,884 among boy names with 86 births, gradually falling (-13%). In total, more than 5K Johanns 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 Johann
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Johann. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Johann
Phonetically similar names — useful when Johann 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 Johann
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About the name Johann
Johann is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Johann's peak popularity came in 2010 when it ranked #910. Use the chart and map above to compare Johann's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2010 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.