Jonni
A masculine diminutive form of the name John meaning "God is gracious".
Name Census estimates that about 1,116 living Americans carry the first name Jonni. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Jonni today is around 45 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jonni births was 1957 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jonni. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 307,128 Americans
Peak year
1957
40 babies that year
Average age
45
years old
2014 SSA rank
#11,544
Tracked since 1943
Gender
Gender distribution for Jonni
Out of the 1,298 babies given the name Jonni since 1880, 99.6% 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.
Jonni as a male name
- Ranked #12,993 in 2014
- 5 male births in 2014
- Peak: 2014 (5 births)
Jonni as a female name
- Ranked #11,544 in 2024
- 8 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1957 (40 births)
Popularity
Jonni: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jonni from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 248 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jonni 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 Jonni during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jonnis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Jonni
The given name Jonni is a masculine name with its roots in several European cultures and languages. It is believed to be a variation of the Hebrew name Yonatan, which means "God has given" or "gift of God." The name Yonatan is derived from the Hebrew word "natan," meaning "to give."
In Scandinavia, the name Jonni is a diminutive form of the name Jon or Johan, which is a variant of the Hebrew name Yohanan or John. This name was popular among the Vikings and was often used to honor St. John the Baptist or St. John the Evangelist.
The name Jonni has also been associated with the Greek name Ioannes, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yohanan. This name was popularized by early Christian communities and can be found in various ancient texts and religious scriptures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jonni can be found in the Icelandic Saga of Grettir the Strong, which dates back to the 13th century. In this saga, Jonni is mentioned as a character who helps the protagonist, Grettir, during his adventures.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Jonni. Jonni Muren (1875-1964) was a Finnish writer and journalist known for his work in promoting the Finnish language and culture. Jonni Siikala (1935-2003) was a Finnish painter and graphic artist whose works explored themes of nature and mythology.
In the world of sports, Jonni Myyrä (born 1972) is a former Finnish ice hockey player who represented Finland in the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics. Jonni Hansen (born 1973) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a defender for various clubs in Norway and Denmark.
Another notable individual with the name Jonni is Jonni Petri Puentari (born 1988), a Finnish politician and member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Finnish Social Democratic Party.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Jonni throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the cultural richness and diversity associated with this name.
People
Jonni + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jonni 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
Jonni: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jonni?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,116 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jonni 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 307,128 US residents.
Is Jonni a common name?
We classify Jonni as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,298 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jonni most popular?
The single biggest year for Jonni was 1957, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jonni is about 45 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jonni a female name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Jonni 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.