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Juanita

♀ Girl

Pronounced khwa-NEE-ta /xwa.ˈni.ta/Medium

Meaning: God is gracious (diminutive of Juana)Medium

In 30 seconds: Juanita is a Spanish diminutive of Juana, meaning 'God is gracious'.

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Origin MediumSpanish

MeaningGod is gracious (diminutive of Juana)

U.S. rank (2025)#2794 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births61 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1924

Total births (all-time)≈ 207,682

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

Juanita is the affectionate, diminutive form of Juana, the Spanish feminine of John, carrying the meaning 'God is gracious'. The '-ita' ending lends a warm, smaller-scale feel typical of Spanish pet forms. Oscar-nominated American actress Juanita Moore, remembered for Imitation of Life, bore the name.

Its closest relative is the broader Joanna, the same God-is-gracious name in English dress, while respellings like Shavon and Zhanna show how widely the John family travels across languages.

Did you know? Juanita is the Spanish diminutive of Juana, the feminine of Juan (John), tracing back to Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious'.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Juanita — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSVEtymology — Juanita — meaning/etymology

Variations

ShavonShavonneJoneZhannaJoanna

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Juanita Moore (1914–2014)
American actress, Oscar-nominated for Imitation of Life.

If you like Juanita…

Joanna— the same 'God is gracious' name in English form

Anita— another Spanish name

Carlota— a fellow Spanish choice

Julieta— another Spanish name

Julissa— shares Juanita's Spanish roots

Explore names like Juanita

By themespanish

By meaningGod / Divine Grace

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Juanita mean?

Juanita means 'God is gracious', a Spanish diminutive of Juana, ultimately from Hebrew Yochanan.

How do you pronounce Juanita?

It's commonly said khwa-NEE-ta /xwa.ˈni.ta/.

Is Juanita a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Juanita is used as a girl name.

How popular is Juanita?

In 2024, Juanita ranked #2585 in the U.S. for girls, with 68 births recorded.