Joan
Literal root meaning: “God is gracious”
About the name Joan
Joan is a boy name with Hebrew roots, literally “God is gracious”. It is related to Jean, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a classic, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Joan ranked #987 for boys in the US, with 232 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2025. Since 2000, 61% of US babies named Joan were boys.
Etymology
Shares its root with Jean, which comes from Hebrew, meaning literally “God is gracious”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Joan”, “Jean”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #987
- In 2015
- #1127
- Babies in 2025
- 232
Popularity of Joan, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Joan
Joan is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Joan
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.