Joanna

Joanna meaning

Joanna is a Christian girl's name of Hebrew origin (via Greek).

Feminine of John, 'Jehovah-favoured', that is, favoured by God

Also used to mean: God is gracious

Joanna is the Greek Iōanna, which Strong's Concordance describes as the feminine of the same name as Iōannēs, John. John goes back to the Hebrew Yehowchanan, which Strong's explains as "Jehovah-favoured", favoured by God; name lists phrase it as "God is gracious". In the Gospel of Luke, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, a steward of Herod, is among the women who travelled with Jesus and supported him from their own means (Luke 8:3), and she is one of the women who found the tomb empty on Easter morning and told the apostles (Luke 24:10). The name is used in Christian families in India, alongside Joan and Johanna.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, G2489 · entry Iōanna · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Strong's Greek 2489, Iōanna (Bible Hub) · Luke 24 (KJV, Bible Hub)

Famous namesakes

• Joanna, follower of Jesus (Luke 8:3; 24:10)

Popularity abroad

• #306 United States, girls 2025 (up 23 from 329 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #514 England and Wales, girls 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Joanna · Johanna · Joana

Related names

Also meaning god

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