Johna
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from John.
Name Census estimates that about 2,065 living Americans carry the first name Johna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Johna today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Johna births was 1963 (98 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Johna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.1K
~ 1 in 165,983 Americans
Peak year
1963
98 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1995 SSA rank
#8,288
Tracked since 1925
Gender
Gender distribution for Johna
Out of the 2,462 babies given the name Johna since 1880, 99.8% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Johna as a male name
- Ranked #8,288 in 1995
- 6 male births in 1995
- Peak: 1995 (6 births)
Johna as a female name
- Ranked #16,305 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1963 (98 births)
Popularity
Johna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Johna from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 633 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Johna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Johna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Johnas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 15 states and territories. California, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Johna, while Washington, Tennessee, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Johna
The name Johna is believed to have originated from the Hebrew name Johanan, which means "Graced by God" or "God is gracious." This name has been in use since ancient times and can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible, where it appears as the name of several individuals, including a high priest during the reign of King David.
In the Middle Ages, the name Johanan evolved into various spellings and versions across different languages and cultures. One of these variations was Johna, which was commonly used in certain regions of Europe and the Middle East. The earliest recorded instances of the name Johna can be found in medieval documents and records from the 11th to 13th centuries.
One of the notable historical figures bearing the name Johna was Johna of Saxony (1240-1285), a German noblewoman and countess of Anhalt. She played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of her time and was known for her patronage of the arts and education.
Another prominent individual with this name was Johna al-Dimashqi (1256-1327), an Arab scholar and traveler from Damascus. He wrote extensively about his travels and observations, providing valuable insights into the cultures and societies of the medieval Islamic world.
In the 15th century, Johna Hus (1369-1415), a Czech priest and philosopher, became a key figure in the Bohemian Reformation movement. His teachings and criticisms of the Catholic Church led to his eventual execution, which sparked widespread unrest and religious upheaval across Europe.
During the Renaissance period, Johna Basili (1490-1542), an Italian painter and architect, gained recognition for his contributions to the art and architecture of the time. He worked on various projects, including the design of churches and palaces in Rome and other Italian cities.
In the 17th century, Johna van Scorel (1589-1662), a Dutch Golden Age painter, achieved fame for his portraits and religious works. His paintings are renowned for their vibrant colors and realistic depictions of subjects, and can be found in numerous museums and collections around the world.
While the name Johna has waned in popularity over the centuries, it continues to hold historical significance and serves as a testament to the rich cultural diversity and traditions that have shaped our understanding of names and their meanings.
People
Johna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Johna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Johna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Johna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,065 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Johna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 165,983 US residents.
Is Johna a common name?
We classify Johna as "Rare". It ranks above 93.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,462 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Johna most popular?
The single biggest year for Johna was 1963, when 98 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Johna is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Johna a female name?
Yes, 99.8% of people registered as Johna in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.