Fun Facts About the Name Giovani
- More than 7 thousand babies named Giovani: U.S. records list 7,620 babies given the name Giovani from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 girls received the name Giovani - about 1 girl for every 1,523 boys.
What Does the Name Giovani Mean?
Giovani is a spelling variant of Giovanni, the Italian form of John, and it carries the same meaning: "God is gracious" (more literally, "Yahweh has shown favor"). The name traces back through Latin Ioannes and Greek Iōannēs to the Hebrew Yoḥanan, built from a shortened form of the divine name (yo-) plus the verb ḥanan, "to be gracious" or "to show favor." The literal sense is a statement about God's favor rather than a description of the person who bears the name. Because Giovani is simply an alternate spelling of Giovanni rather than a separate name with its own root, it does not have a second, independent etymology.
Giovani Name History & Origins
The Hebrew Yoḥanan appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several figures, including Yoḥanan son of Kareah in the book of Jeremiah. The Greek form Iōannēs was used in the New Testament for John the Baptist and John the Apostle, and it passed into Latin as Ioannes. From there it spread through Christian Europe in many regional forms: Johannes in German and Dutch, Jean in French, Juan in Spanish, João in Portuguese, and Giovanni in Italian.
Italian Giovanni was shortened in everyday use to forms such as Gianni and Gio, and the spelling Giovani - with a single final -i rather than the standard double consonant - appears chiefly outside Italy, particularly in Brazil and in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities, as well as among Italian families abroad. It is best understood as a respelling of Giovanni rather than a distinct Italian name. In Italian itself, giovani is the plural of giovane, meaning "young people," a common word unrelated to the personal name Giovanni.
The name's spread follows the Christian veneration of John the Baptist and John the Apostle, whose feast days made the name common throughout Catholic Europe and its overseas settlements. The related form Jovani follows the same sound pattern but reflects a different spelling convention.
How Popular is the Name Giovani?
Giovani recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2011. Its best rank was #503 in 2011.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,885 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,312 | 148 | 0.0087% |
| 2024 | #1,250 | 158 | 0.0092% |
| 2023 | #1,459 | 124 | 0.0073% |
| 2022 | #1,296 | 147 | 0.0084% |
| 2021 | #1,219 | 158 | 0.0090% |
| 2020 | #1,157 | 167 | 0.0097% |
| 2019 | #1,132 | 172 | 0.0096% |
| 2018 | #1,075 | 185 | 0.0102% |
| 2017 | #1,027 | 196 | 0.0106% |
| 2016 | #875 | 250 | 0.0132% |
| 2015 | #792 | 294 | 0.0153% |
| 2014 | #771 | 304 | 0.0158% |
| 2013 | #744 | 311 | 0.0164% |
| 2012 | #641 | 373 | 0.0197% |
| 2011 | #503 | 519 | 0.0273% |
| 2010 | #528 | 490 | 0.0255% |
| 2009 | #581 | 454 | 0.0229% |
| 2008 | #614 | 405 | 0.0199% |
| 2007 | #690 | 345 | 0.0166% |
| 2006 | #795 | 259 | 0.0126% |
| 2005 | #874 | 210 | 0.0105% |
| 2004 | #1,107 | 143 | 0.0072% |
| 2003 | #940 | 175 | 0.0089% |
| 2002 | #991 | 159 | 0.0082% |
| 2001 | #1,001 | 152 | 0.0078% |
| 2000 | #1,004 | 147 | 0.0075% |
| 1999 | #1,153 | 114 | 0.0059% |
| 1998 | #1,090 | 119 | 0.0062% |
| 1997 | #1,079 | 118 | 0.0063% |
| 1996 | #1,073 | 113 | 0.0060% |
| 1995 | #1,210 | 92 | 0.0048% |
| 1994 | #1,500 | 63 | 0.0033% |
| 1993 | #1,270 | 80 | 0.0041% |
| 1992 | #1,533 | 58 | 0.0029% |
| 1991 | #1,389 | 67 | 0.0033% |
| 1990 | #1,387 | 65 | 0.0032% |
| 1989 | #2,005 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1988 | #1,799 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1987 | #2,357 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1986 | #2,070 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1985 | #2,189 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1984 | #2,739 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1983 | #2,362 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1982 | #3,777 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #2,950 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #3,707 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #3,653 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #6,139 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,202 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #3,575 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #5,774 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #3,661 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #5,369 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #4,991 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Giovani Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Giovani's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Giovani's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.