Joan
How to say it: JONE · /ˈdʒoʊn/
Medieval English feminine form of John via Old French 'Johanne'; means 'God is gracious'.
Joan was the 891st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 454 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1930s, its births are up about 68% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #782 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #891 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 454 |
| Share of births | 1 in 7,302 |
| Peak decade | 1930s |
| Change over 10 years | +68% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #782 |
| In France, 2025 | #670 among boys’ names, 50 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Joan stood tallest in the 1930s and remains in steady use. Far below that high now, it appears ready to climb again.
What goes with it
Plain and strong in a single beat with a saintly calm. Ruth shares that spare gravity.
Nicknames
- Jo
- Joanie
Honouring a Joan in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Joan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew, Spanish.
In France: #670 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Joan
- Joan Baez (born 1941)American contemporary folk musician
- Joan Miró (1893–1983)Spanish painter, sculptor, and ceramicist
- Joan Crawford (1905–1977)American actress
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Hurricane Joan 1988, retired name
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