Declining since 1985, #306 for girls today.
Popularity of Joanna since 1880
Babies named Joanna per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 290 |
| 1890s | 389 |
| 1900s | 391 |
| 1910s | 1,186 |
| 1920s | 2,233 |
| 1930s | 3,914 |
| 1940s | 4,709 |
| 1950s | 5,151 |
| 1960s | 9,196 |
| 1970s | 15,281 |
| 1980s | 22,216 |
| 1990s | 16,287 |
| 2000s | 12,970 |
| 2010s | 11,409 |
| 2020s | 6,139 |
Meaning & origin
Joanna, meaning 'God is gracious,' has been a steady presence in American naming since at least 1880, when records began. It peaked in popularity in 1984, after which it has been gradually falling. In 2025, the name ranked 306th, with about 1 in 1,612 baby girls receiving it. Joanna has remained most consistently favored in states like Hawaii, Delaware, and South Dakota. Its biblical roots and soft, classic sound have given it enduring appeal across generations, though it has never reached the top tiers of popularity. The name offers a familiar yet slightly less common alternative to Johanna or Joan, balancing tradition with individuality.
Joanna is the feminine form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning 'Yahweh is gracious.' It appears in the New Testament as the name of a woman who was a follower of Jesus. The name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, often in the spelling Joanna, and saw a revival in the 20th century.
Where Joanna 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.
“Joanna” around the world
Where Joanna lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
50
babies in 2024
Ireland
11
babies in 2025
New Zealand
10
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jo, JoJo, Anna, Jody
Sibling names for Joanna
Names that share Joanna's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Joanna
Names whose popularity has moved with Joanna's over the last 50 years.
