Joan
Joan: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /d͡ʒoʊn/ · /d͡ʒəʊn/
Meaning and origin of Joan
- A female given name from French, a feminine form of John.
- A male given name from Catalan, a form of John.
Etymology
A clipped or hypochoristic form of Joanna, from Latin Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.
How popular is Joan?
Since 1880, 481,238 girls and 7,701 boys in the U.S. have been named Joan (98% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #5 in 1931. Its highest rank for boys was #619 in 1935. In 2025, 454 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Joan
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More French girl names
Sibling name ideas for Joan
Sister and brother names that share Joan's French roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Joan FAQ
What does the name Joan mean?
A female given name from French, a feminine form of John. A male given name from Catalan, a form of John. A clipped or hypochoristic form of Joanna, from Latin Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack. Doublet of Ivana, Jana, Jane, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.
What is the origin of the name Joan?
Joan is listed as a name of French origin.
How popular is the name Joan?
Since 1880, 481,238 girls and 7,701 boys in the U.S. have been named Joan (98% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #5 in 1931. Its highest rank for boys was #619 in 1935. In 2025, 454 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Joan a boy or girl name?
Joan is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 481,238 girls and 7,701 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.