Joan is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Joan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Joan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Joan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Joan is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is gracious”. a medieval feminine form of John.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 488,939 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 305 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 265 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,080 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 199 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Joan per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1932 (21,132/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (262/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (36/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (18/yr).
Joan has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1932, when it ranked #12 nationally (given to 21,132 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
John · Jean · Jane · Juan · Johnny · Joann · Joanne · Jon
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