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Name at a glance

Joanna

Joanna is commonly understood as the LORD is gracious.

Ranked #306 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #88 in 1984, declining over the past 5 years.

Joanna is named in Luke as a woman who supported Jesus' ministry and later appears among the women associated with the resurrection witness.

Browse names
OriginHebrew via Greek and Latin
GenderGirl
FeelGracious
Pronunciationjoh-AN-uh

Is Joanna biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Joanna is a named person in Scripture, a woman in Luke who supported Jesus' ministry and is named among the witnesses at the resurrection.

Is Joanna a Christian name?

Yes, in specific traditions

Christian tradition Tradition-specific

Joanna is honored as one of the myrrh-bearing women, commemorated especially in the Orthodox Church.

TraditionsOrthodox, Catholic, Anglican

Plain answer

Joanna is a New Testament name from Luke, established in Christian tradition especially through her Orthodox commemoration among the myrrh-bearing women.

Confidence Moderate Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Joanna

Joanna is related to the John name family and is commonly understood as the LORD is gracious. Its meaning fits well with its New Testament association with faithful support and witness.

Name story

A woman who supported Jesus' ministry

Joanna appears in Luke 8 among women who supported Jesus and his disciples from their resources. That brief note gives the name a concrete place in the Gospel story.

She is also named in Luke 24 among women connected with the resurrection announcement, giving the name both service and witness.

Christian reading

Grace, support, and witness

Joanna's meaning, the LORD is gracious, pairs beautifully with her role. She is not at the center of every scene, but her faithfulness is named and remembered.

For Christian families, Joanna offers a classic name with gentle strength and direct Gospel roots.

Sound

How to pronounce Joanna

Phonetic
joh-AN-uh
IPA
/dʒoʊˈænə/

3 syllables · stress: joh-AN-uh · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Johanna
  • Joanne
  • Joan
  • Joana
  • Giovanna
  • Ioanna

Short forms and nicknames

  • Jo
  • Joey
  • Hannie

Languages

Joanna in other languages

Hebrew
יוֹחָנָהYochanah
Greek
ἸωάνναIōanna
Latin
Iohanna
Spanish
Juana
French
Jeanne
German
Johanna
Italian
Giovanna
Russian
ИоаннаIoanna
Polish
Joanna

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Joanna matters in Christian use because she appears in the Gospel of Luke as a supporter of Jesus' ministry and as part of the circle of women around the resurrection narrative.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Joanna is a woman named in Luke, associated with support for Jesus' ministry and witness around the resurrection.

Bearers

Notable people named Joanna

  • biblical

    JoannaWife of Chuza, a steward of Herod, who supported Jesus' ministry in Luke 8 and is named among the resurrection witnesses in Luke 24

  • historical

    Joan of ArcFrench peasant girl who led French forces against the English in the Hundred Years' War, canonized in 1920, around 1412 to 1431

  • historical

    Joanna BaillieScottish poet and dramatist of the Romantic period, 1762 to 1851

  • modern

    Joanna TrollopeEnglish novelist of family and social life in contemporary Britain, born 1943

  • modern

    Joanna LumleyEnglish actress known for Absolutely Fabulous, born 1946

  • modern

    Joanna NewsomAmerican singer, songwriter, and harpist, born 1982

Saint

Saint Joanna the Myrrh-bearer

Traditions
Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican

Joanna is commemorated in Orthodox tradition as one of the myrrh-bearing women who went to Jesus' tomb on Easter morning, together with Mary Magdalene and the other women.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Joanna, Johanna, Joanne, and Joan have all been used across Christian cultures. Joanna feels classic, graceful, and less common than many shorter forms.

Recent US use

Joanna in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#306
Peak rank
#88 in 1984
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Joanna

Joanna may suit parents who want a traditional Christian girl name with a gracious meaning and a real New Testament story.

Common questions

What does Joanna mean?

Joanna is commonly understood as the LORD is gracious.

Is Joanna in the Bible?

Yes. Joanna is named in the Gospel of Luke.

Is Joanna related to John?

Yes. Joanna belongs to the same broad name family as John and Johanna.

Sources

Sources for Joanna

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology; meaning 'the LORD is gracious'.
  • The Gospel of Luke, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure; supporter of Jesus' ministry in Luke 8, resurrection witness in Luke 24.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Joanna the Myrrh-bearer; commemorated among the myrrh-bearing women.

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

HannahBoth Hebrew names share the root for 'grace' (Yochanah is the feminine of Yochanan, of which Hannah is a related form); both are New Testament women whose attentiveness shapes the narrative.MaryJoanna is named with Mary Magdalene among the women who came to the tomb on the resurrection morning (Luke 24:10).JuniaBoth are New Testament women named directly in the apostolic-era texts; Joanna in Luke 8:3, Junia in Romans 16:7.