Juana

♀ Girl

Pronounced HWAH-nuh /ˈxwɑː.nə/High

Meaning: God is gracious; Spanish feminine form of Juan (John), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious)High

In 30 seconds: The Spanish feminine form of Juan (John) meaning 'God is gracious,' from Hebrew Yohanan. One of the most classic names in the Spanish-speaking world, borne by Juana of Castile and the poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.

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Origin HighSpanish, Hebrew

MeaningGod is gracious; Spanish feminine form of Juan (John), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious)

U.S. rank (2024)#1102 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births221 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1994

Total births (all-time)≈ 18,605

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Juana is the Spanish feminine form of Juan (John), from the Latin Johannes, from Greek Ioannes, from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious). Juana of Castile (1479–1555), called 'Juana la Loca,' was Queen of Castile and mother of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Juana is one of the most enduring Spanish women's names and is widely used in Latin American and Hispanic communities in the U.S. It ranked #1102 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648–1695) was a 17th-century Mexican nun, poet, and intellectual — one of the first published feminist writers in the Americas, now on the 200-peso bill and a figure of extraordinary cultural importance.

Overall data confidence 96%

Behind the Name — Juana — Spanish/Hebrew etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JuanitaGiovanna

Nicknames

JuanitaJua

Famous Bearers

★Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648–1695)
Mexican poet, nun, and scholar of the Baroque period in New Spain, and a pioneering feminist voice in colonial Latin America.

If you like Juana…

Juanita— the diminutive form of Juana, equally classic in Spanish

Joanna— the English equivalent feminine form of the same John/Yohanan root

Giovanna— the Italian feminine form of Giovanni (John), same root

Ivana— the Slavic feminine form of Ivan (John), same root

Jana— Central European feminine form of Jan (John), same root

Explore names like Juana

By themehebrew spanish classic two-syllable hispanic john-family

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Juana mean?

Juana means 'God is gracious,' as the Spanish feminine form of Juan (John), from Hebrew Yohanan (Yahweh is gracious).

How do you pronounce Juana?

It's said HWAH-nuh — two syllables, stress on the first. The J is pronounced like the English H.

Is Juana a boy or girl name?

Juana is the feminine form; Juan is masculine.

How popular is Juana?

Juana ranked #1102 for U.S. girls in 2024.