Johan
How to say it: YOH-hahn · /ˈjoʊhɑn/
Germanic and Scandinavian form of John, from Hebrew Yohanan meaning 'God is gracious'.
Johan was the 495th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 516 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are down about 8% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #473 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 | #495 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 516 |
| Share of births | 1 in 5,516 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | −8% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #473 |
| In France, 2025 | #328 among boys’ names, 125 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
This decade has been the strongest yet for Johan. Holding at its peak in the 2020s, it seems poised to climb a little more.
What goes with it
Pronounced YOH hahn, it feels soft and breathy with a biblical calm that travels well. Elias would sit nicely alongside.
Nicknames
- Jo
- Han
Other spellings
Honouring a Johan in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Johan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #328 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Johan
- Johan Djourou (born 1987)Swiss association football player
- Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877)Finland’s national poet, author of Finland’s national anthem, Swedish-speaking writer and poet
- Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)Dutch cultural historian
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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