Fun Facts About the Name Yohanan
- 128 babies named Yohanan: U.S. records list 128 babies given the name Yohanan from 1880 through 2025. Even 10 girls received the name Yohanan - about 1 girl for every 12 boys.
What Does the Name Yohanan Mean?
Yohanan is a Hebrew name meaning "the LORD is gracious" or "YHWH is gracious." It comes from the Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānān), which is built from two elements: a shortened form of the divine name YHWH, written Yeho- or Yo- at the start of many Hebrew names, and the verb חנן (ḥanan), meaning "to show favor" or "to be gracious." The same verb appears in other Hebrew names such as Hanan and Hananiah. The customary English wording "the LORD" reflects the Jewish practice of reading the written name YHWH aloud as Adonai rather than pronouncing it directly.
Yohanan Name History & Origins
Yohanan is the Hebrew name that stands behind the English name John. In the Hebrew Bible it belongs to several figures, among them Yohanan son of Kareah, an army officer in the book of Jeremiah, and priests and Levites named in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
In the Second Temple period, the longer form of the name, Yehochanan, was commonly shortened to Yochanan or Yohanan by dropping the opening Yeho-. The name was a common Jewish given name in that era and was borne by the Hasmonean ruler Yochanan Hyrcanus and by the first-century sage Yohanan ben Zakkai.
When the name was written in Greek, it became Iōannēs, which passed into Latin as Ioannes and then, through the languages of Europe, into English as John. Forms taken directly from the Hebrew - Yohanan, Yochanan, Yehochanan - are also used, particularly in Jewish and academic settings, and יוֹחָנָן remains a current given name in modern Hebrew. In Christian tradition the name is associated with John the Baptist and John the Apostle, who are known in English through the Greek-derived form. Related names such as Juan, Giovanni, Hans, and Ivan descend from the Greek and Latin forms rather than directly from the Hebrew.
How Popular is the Name Yohanan?
Yohanan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2021. Its best rank was #6,670 in 2021.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | #18,348 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #18,775 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,651 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #12,257 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #9,720 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #7,742 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #6,670 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #8,698 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #12,088 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #9,638 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #12,198 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #8,779 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #10,600 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #10,677 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,058 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #12,171 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #10,215 | 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 Yohanan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Yohanan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yohanan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.