Rising since 1985, #33 for girls today.
Popularity of Gianna since 1951
Babies named Gianna per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 54 |
| 1960s | 333 |
| 1970s | 420 |
| 1980s | 907 |
| 1990s | 6,368 |
| 2000s | 27,858 |
| 2010s | 34,665 |
| 2020s | 39,710 |
Meaning & origin
Gianna spent its first American decades as a heritage name, absent from Social Security records until 1951, then quietly circulating in Italian-American families while Giovanna stayed in the old country. The climb that began in 1985 was steady rather than sudden, and it took two very different events to complete it: the 2004 canonization of Gianna Beretta Molla, and the January 2020 death of Gianna Bryant, which moved thousands of families to a tribute naming and pushed the name to its 2020 peak.
In 2025 it holds rank 33, reaching about one girl in 285, essentially at its high-water mark. Delaware, New Mexico, and Rhode Island lead its state map, with the Northeast's old Italian-American corridors well represented, though the name now travels far beyond them.
Gianna's appeal is partly its built-in flexibility: formal Italian polish on the birth certificate, Gia or Gigi in daily use. Among heritage names promoted to the mainstream it is one of the clearest recent success stories, and its meaning, "God is gracious," inherited from John, has gained an added weight of remembrance since 2020.
Gianna is an Italian contraction of Giovanna, the feminine of Giovanni, John, and so traces ultimately to Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious." In Italy it is a familiar form of long standing; in the United States it first registers in Social Security data in 1951 and for decades served mainly as a marker of Italian-American heritage. The 2004 canonization of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla raised its Catholic profile, and the name had already been rising since 1985 when the death of Kobe Bryant's thirteen-year-old daughter Gianna in January 2020 prompted a wave of tribute namings that carried it to its peak that year.
Where Gianna is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Gianna” around the world
Where Gianna lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
45
babies in 2024
Ireland
5
babies in 2025
New Zealand
24
babies in 2025
Quebec
15
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gia, Gigi
Famous people named Gianna
- Gianna Beretta Molla · Italian physician canonized as a saint in 2004
- Gianna Nannini · Italian rock singer-songwriter
Sibling names for Gianna
Names that share Gianna's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Giuliana, Isabella, Alessia, Aria, Naomi, Rosetta, Abriella, Antonella, Briella, Carlina, Carlotta, Elianna, Jeanna, Jianna, Jovanna, Vannesa, Vianca, Abrianna, Adamaris, Analisa, Audrianna, Franchesca, Giavonna, Jacelyn, Melania, Natale, Rianna, Rolanda, Sianna, Adriann, Adryana, Adryanna, Airianna, Amarianna, Angelly, Areanna, Brianny, Byanca, Daviana, Davianna, Gabryella, Giabella, Giavanni, Giavonni, Ilianna, Jayliana, Jolanda, Julyssa, Krizia, Lizmarie, Lorianna, Marinna, Marionna, Modena, Ondrea, Torianna, Vianka, Abryanna, Adianna, Adriannah, Adrieanna, Adriyanna, Aleanna, Andreanna, Andretta, Anthonella, Arhianna, Ariabella, Arihanna, Aubryana, Audreana, Ayrianna, Bellamarie, Benelli, Bennetta, Brunetta, Byanka, Calianna, Caramia, Carmelia, Dahiana, Diamantina, Guliana, Gyanna, Illyanna, Irianna, Itzabella, Ivianna, Jeweliana, Jilliana, Juliany, Liliani, Marcheta, Marletta, Melinna, Monetta, Naraly, Oretta, Roselina, Rozina, Yovanna, Zabella, Zarianna, Ahriana, Gianelle, Livianna, Vianny, Adreena, Adriona, Ahrianna, Aniella, Ariaunna, Audryana, Avangelina, Averiana, Bellina, Biannca, Brietta, Carinna, Driana, Drianna, Elianie, Francetta, Geonna, Giannie, Jhoanna, Lianni, Luciella, Milianna, Mionna, Miriana, Reianna, Tattiana, Yariana
Brothers: Giovanni, Luca, Dominic, Rocco, Matteo, Anthony, Enzo, Giovanny, Sabino, Gennaro, Gionni, Ricco, Christiano, Decarlo, Diangelo, Giancarlos, Jancarlo, Jiovanny, Larenzo, Leovanni, Nicoli, Olando, Rinaldo, Antiono, Corleone, Deluca, Filiberto, Gianfranco, Govanni, Joeanthony, Johncarlo, Joncarlo, Jovannie, Jovonni, Lamberto, Liangelo, Martino, Savio, Dalessandro, Dantonio, Anjelo, Franko, Geovannie, Gianno, Gianpaolo, Giordan, Giovonnie, Jencarlo, Jovann, Lucciano, Luchiano, Roemello
Names like Gianna
Names whose popularity has moved with Gianna's over the last 50 years.
