Joanna means God is gracious — the Latin feminine form of John, one of the most important names in Christianity. In the New Testament, Joanna was one of the women who found Jesus's empty tomb — making her among the first witnesses to the Resurrection. Joanna Gaines of Magnolia fame gave the name its 21st-century identity: warmth, design, and shiplap.
Hebrew Yohanan (God is gracious)→Latin Ioanna→English Joanna
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Hebrew roots
Joanna is the Latin feminine form of John, from the Hebrew Yohanan meaning God is gracious. In Luke's Gospel, Joanna is the wife of Chuza (Herod's steward) and one of the women who supported Jesus's ministry and discovered his empty tomb. Joanna Gaines, co-star of Fixer Upper and co-founder of the Magnolia empire, has given the name enormous contemporary visibility. The name has been consistently popular without ever being number one, making it a reliable, warm classic.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: New Testament — Luke 8:3 and 24:10, where Joanna is one of Jesus's followers.
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Today
Joanna remains a beloved choice, ranking #279 in the US. 111,062 babies have been named Joanna since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, Luke 8:3, SSA data
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How popular is Joanna?
1984peak year
Joanna has settled into a steady rhythm — neither rising sharply nor fading, holding a consistent place in U.S. birth records. It currently ranks around #279, with about 1,156 babies named Joanna each year. In 1984, 3,332 babies were named Joanna (ranked #88 nationally). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 111,062.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
3,332 Babies named in peak year (ranked #88)
1,156Avg. per year (last decade)
11,560Total registrations last 10 years
111,062All-time total (since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #279)Very popular
Joanna's Life Path 3 is the communicator's number — God's graciousness expressed through creative warmth. People named Joanna tend to be warm, creative, and gifted at making spaces beautiful and welcoming.
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Makes spaces beautiful
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Warm creative
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Gracious communicator
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Welcoming presence
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Designs with love
J1
O6
A1
N5
N5
A1
Sum: 19 → Life path 1
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Personality of Joanna
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Independent & bold
These individuals chart their own course. They lead, they don't follow.
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Ambitious drive
Quiet determination sits behind everything they do.
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Original ideas
Their minds work differently — seeing angles others walk past.
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