JOAN  

Gender: F
Origin: English variation of JOHANNA
Meaning: "God is gracious"

Poor Joan. After being the seventh most popular name throughout the 1930s, it hasn't even appeared in the Top 1,000 for a dozen years, and it would take a Joan of Arc to revive it today.

Variations:
Jonette, Joanie, Joani, Jonee, Joni

International Variations:
Jone (Basque) Siobhán (Irish Gaelic) Seonag (Scottish Gaelic) Sion (Welsh)

Joan is being discussed in our message boards:

• what if you had 20 kids?
• Mayflower Names!
• Poll: Once a Nickname... Always a Nickname???
• Imogen has arrived!
• Pregers is my name and naming is my game!!

Read Nameberry blog posts about Joan:

• STAGE NAMES: Would You Change Your Name for Fame?
• IRISH NAMES NOW: What's doing in Dublin?
• CORNISH BABY NAMES
• KISSING COUSIN NAMES: Names that don't look related--but are
• ROMANCING THE NAME: MELISSA TO MELISANDE