Johanan
Johanan Origin and Meaning
Johanan is a masculine name of Hebrew origin, representing an ancient form of the name John. Derived from the Hebrew 'Yochanan' meaning 'God is gracious' or 'God has shown favor,' it appears in biblical texts as the name of several figures. While the more familiar form John became dominant in Western cultures, Johanan preserves the name's original Hebrew structure. The name carries significant religious and historical weight across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Though relatively uncommon in mainstream Western usage, it maintains consistent presence in Jewish communities and has seen occasional adoption by parents seeking biblically authentic names. Johanan offers a distinctive alternative to the extremely common John while maintaining its profound spiritual heritage and meaningful etymology.
Famous People Named Johanan
- Johananson of Azariah, father of Azariah, of the tribe of Levi (1 Chr. 6:9)
- Johananof the tribe of Benjamin, follower of David (1 Chr. 12:4)
- Johananof the tribe of Gad, follower of David (1 Chr. 12:12)
- Johananfather of Ephraimite head Azariah (2 Chr. 28:12)
- Johananson of King Josiah of Judah (1 Chr. 3:15)
- Johanan son of Careah (Kareah)captain (2 Kings 25:23)
- Johananmentioned in Nehemiah 6:18
- Johananson of Joiada, fifth high priest after the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem
- Johananson of Elioenai, of the House of David (1 Chr. 3:24)
- Johanan HaSandlar1st century Israeli tanna
- Johanan ben Zakai1st century Israeli tanna
- Johanan ben Nuri1st and 2nd Israli century tanna
- Johanan bar Nafcha2nd century Israeli rabbi
- Johanan ben Baroka2nd century Israeli tanna
- Johanan ben Torta2nd century Israeli tanna
- Johanan ben Aaron ben Nathanael Luria16th century Alsatian Talmudist