Johan
Johan was the 572nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 516 babies. Its best year was 2008, when it ranked 451st; the most babies were born in 2016 (659). Over the last ten years it has moved down 13 places. More babies were named Johan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning God is gracious (Scandinavian/Dutch John) · Hebrew, Danish, Dutch
Say it yoh-HAHN /joʊˈhɑn/
- Rank in 2025
- #572 boys, up 28 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 516boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2016659 babies
- Total since 1880
- 14,788babies recorded
What does the name Johan mean?
Johan is the Scandinavian, Dutch and German short form of Johannes, the Latin form of John. John goes back through Greek Iōannēs to Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious," which DMNES glosses "graced by God." Wiktionary lists Johan in Danish, Dutch and Afrikaans as a boys' name from Johannes. In older English, Johan was also a spelling of the women's name Joan.
Johannes (Latin, “John”)יוֹחָנָן (Biblical Hebrew, “God is gracious”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Pronunciation: Spelled with J but said with a Y sound in Scandinavian, Dutch and German.
Related names: John, Johannes, Johann, Jan, Juan, Johanna.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God, names that mean grace.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Johan' (Danish section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Johan' (Dutch section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'John', DMNES (Durham University)
Johan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 135 since 1928.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #572 | 516 |
| 2020 | #600 | 458 |
| 2010 | #454 | 592 |
| 2000 | #904 | 172 |
| 1990 | #1,919 | 40 |
| 1980 | #1,885 | 30 |
| 1970 | #2,247 | 17 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | #2,698 | 10 |
| 1920 | #3,646 | 7 |
| 1910 | #1,721 | 5 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Johan, counting every spelling?
Johan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #499 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #572 for Johan on its own. Together these spellings went to 601 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johan | 516 | #572 | 2,527 |
| Johann | 85 | #1,856 | 416 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Johan?
516 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Johan (0.14 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Johan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 16 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Johan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Johan?
About 14,200 people born in the US named Johan are alive today, with a median age of 14; half are between 8 and 21. That makes Johan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Johan by state
How common Johan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Maryland (2.0×), New Jersey (1.9×), Texas (1.6×), New York (1.6×), Connecticut (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Missouri, Kentucky, Wisconsin.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Johan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Johan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Johan · Sibling names for Johan
Questions about the name Johan
What does Johan mean?
Johan means “God is gracious (Scandinavian/Dutch John)” (Hebrew, Danish, Dutch origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Johan?
Johan was the 572nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 516 babies. Its best year was 2008, when it ranked 451st; the most babies were born in 2016 (659). Over the last ten years it has moved down 13 places. More babies were named Johan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Johan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Johan in the US.
Where is Johan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Johan was most common in Maryland (0.59 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Jersey and Texas.