Jolina
A feminine name with multiple potential origins, perhaps derived from Yolanda or Jolina.
Name Census estimates that about 826 living Americans carry the first name Jolina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jolina today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jolina births was 2007 (47 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jolina. 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
826
~ 1 in 414,957 Americans
Peak year
2007
47 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,740
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Jolina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jolina from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 337 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jolina 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 Jolina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jolinas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Jolina, while Florida, Texas, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 51 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jolina
The name Jolina is derived from the Spanish name Juana, which is the feminine form of Juan, originally a Hebrew name meaning "God is gracious" or "Yahweh is merciful." Juana was a popular name in Spain during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, often given in honor of Juana la Loca, the Queen of Castile and Aragon in the early 16th century.
The name Jolina is believed to have originated as a diminutive or pet form of Juana, likely in the Spanish-speaking regions of the Americas during the colonial era. It may have been influenced by the French name Jolie, meaning "pretty" or "beautiful," adding a layer of aesthetic appeal to the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jolina can be found in the 1860 United States Federal Census, where it appears as the first name of a woman born in Texas. This suggests that the name was in use among Spanish-speaking communities in the southwestern United States during the mid-19th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jolina. One of the most famous was Jolina Magdangal, a Filipino actress, singer, and television personality born in 1978. She rose to fame in the late 1990s and has since appeared in numerous films, television shows, and music albums.
Another notable Jolina was Jolina Truglio, an American actress and comedian born in 1973. She is best known for her roles in television series such as "Raising Hope" and "The Hotwives of Orlando."
In the world of literature, Jolina Petersheim is an American author of Amish fiction, born in 1984. Her debut novel, "The Outcast," was published in 2013 and received critical acclaim.
In the realm of sports, Jolina Singson-Valenciano is a former professional golfer from the Philippines, born in 1982. She has won multiple tournaments on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and represented her country in international competitions.
Lastly, Jolina Buan is a Filipino-Canadian actress and model, born in 1989. She has appeared in various television shows and films, particularly in the Philippines and Canada.
While the name Jolina may not be as common as its root name Juana, it has a rich cultural heritage and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields throughout history.
People
Jolina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jolina 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
Jolina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jolina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 826 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jolina 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 414,957 US residents.
Is Jolina a common name?
We classify Jolina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 845 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jolina most popular?
The single biggest year for Jolina was 2007, when 47 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jolina is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jolina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jolina 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.