boy's name
Johan
YOH-han
- Origin Scandinavian
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 52,292
the United States
#572
2025 births
Johan means God is gracious, and it ranks 393rd in France against 572nd in the United States — a Scandinavian and Dutch form of John that does better in French than in either English-speaking market.
- Johan is a name of Scandinavian origin.
- Peaked in France in 1988, when 1,370 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 4,716 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1906.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Johan over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 15 |
| 1930s | 20 |
| 1940s | 65 |
| 1950s | 185 |
| 1960s | 430 |
| 1970s | 4,675 |
| 1980s | 11,680 |
| 1990s | 7,395 |
| 2000s | 5,530 |
| 2010s | 4,455 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,060 |
What Johan means
Johan means God is gracious, or God has shown favor. The Hebrew behind it is a full sentence rather than a descriptive word, so it states a claim rather than a quality.
Where Johan comes from
Johan is the Scandinavian, Dutch and German form of John, from the Hebrew Yochanan — Yah, the divine name, joined to a root meaning to be gracious or show favor. John became the commonest male name in Christian Europe because it belonged to both the Baptist and the Evangelist, and nearly every European language holds its own form: Ian, Sean, Jean, Juan, Giovanni, Ivan and Jan are all the same name.
Johan in use
Johan peaked in France in 1988, when 1,370 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It now ranks 393rd in France on 125 births, 572nd in the United States on 516, 793rd in Ireland on 4 and 1029th in England and Wales on 30, across 52,292 lifetime births in five of the seven markets we track. The American series peaks separately in 2016 on 659 births.
How popular is Johan?
In 2025, Johan was given to 125 babies in France, ranking #393 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Johan is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Johan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Johan also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Johan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Johan in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Johan
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Johan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Johan
What does the name Johan mean?
God is gracious — the Hebrew Yochanan.
Why is John so common?
It belonged to both John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
Which names are the same as John?
Ian, Sean, Jean, Juan, Giovanni, Ivan and Jan are all forms of it.
Where is Johan most used?
France at 393rd, ahead of the United States at 572nd.
How popular is the name Johan?
In 2025, Johan was given to 125 babies in France, ranking #393 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Johan a girl's or a boy's name?
Johan is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Johan?
Johan has 2 syllables.
When was Johan most popular?
Johan peaked in 1988, when 1,370 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Johan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Johan currently ranks #393 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.