Joanna
Say it: joe-AN-a
GirlMeans god is gracious6 letters3 syllables
#352
in Ireland (2025)
#353 with spellings combined
11
babies in 2025
#104
best rank (1982)
1,485
babies since 1964
Up 10
10-year rank change
Joanna through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #353 |
| 2024 | 7 | #494 |
| 2023 | 9 | #394 |
| 2022 | 11 | #354 |
| 2021 | 12 | #339 |
| 2020 | 12 | #335 |
| 2019 | 12 | #344 |
| 2018 | 12 | #358 |
| 2017 | 18 | #260 |
| 2016 | 13 | #336 |
| 2015 | 13 | #363 |
| 2014 | 20 | #253 |
| 2013 | 21 | #246 |
| 2012 | 18 | #281 |
| 2011 | 19 | #266 |
| 2010 | 18 | #294 |
| 2009 | 18 | #272 |
| 2008 | 20 | #257 |
| 2007 | 21 | #233 |
| 2006 | 17 | #247 |
| 2005 | 7 | #424 |
| 2004 | 13 | #272 |
| 2003 | 16 | #225 |
| 2002 | 8 | #352 |
| 2001 | 7 | #369 |
| 2000 | 17 | #202 |
| 1999 | 8 | #295 |
| 1998 | 8 | #293 |
| 1997 | 16 | #250 |
| 1996 | 14 | #248 |
| 1995 | 20 | #196 |
| 1994 | 21 | #190 |
| 1993 | 25 | #174 |
| 1992 | 19 | #213 |
| 1991 | 17 | #224 |
| 1990 | 18 | #214 |
| 1989 | 31 | #158 |
| 1988 | 28 | #168 |
| 1987 | 29 | #173 |
| 1986 | 37 | #153 |
| 1985 | 45 | #134 |
| 1984 | 59 | #117 |
| 1983 | 48 | #142 |
| 1982 | 76 | #104 |
| 1981 | 58 | #134 |
| 1980 | 49 | #147 |
| 1979 | 71 | #113 |
| 1978 | 42 | #156 |
| 1977 | 55 | #131 |
| 1976 | 51 | #145 |
| 1975 | 40 | #160 |
| 1974 | 33 | #183 |
| 1973 | 27 | #201 |
| 1972 | 29 | #184 |
| 1971 | 20 | #212 |
| 1970 | 28 | #172 |
| 1969 | 27 | #178 |
| 1968 | 17 | #205 |
| 1967 | 15 | #202 |
| 1966 | 11 | #218 |
| 1965 | 13 | #209 |
| 1964 | 10 | #226 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Joanna mean?
God is gracious
Latin, from Greek Iōanna, from Hebrew Yochanah, the feminine of the name behind John.
Say it right
joeANa
The story of Joanna
Joanna comes through Latin and Greek from the Hebrew name Yochanah, meaning “God is gracious”. It is the feminine match of the Hebrew name that gave us John, and so it is a cousin of Joan, Jane, Jean and the Irish Siobhán. In the Gospel of Luke, Joanna is one of the women who travelled with Jesus and supported his work, and she is later among those who find the empty tomb.
In Ireland Joanna was already in use when the CSO records begin. It rose through the 1970s and was at its busiest in 1982, when 76 girls were named Joanna and it reached number 104. The CSO counts Joanne and Johanna as separate names. In Northern Ireland Joanna did a little better, reaching number 111 in 2000.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Joanna (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Joanna
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Jo
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Joanna | 11 | 1,485 |
In Northern Ireland
#397 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #111 (2000); 207 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.