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Yohanna

♀ Girl

Pronounced yoh-HAH-nah /joʊˈhɑ.nɑ/High

Meaning: God is gracious; a transliterated form of Johanna, from Hebrew Yochanan, used in Ethiopian, Arabic, and other traditionsHigh

In 30 seconds: Johanna the way much of the world actually says it — with a Y. The same ancient declaration, 'God is gracious', dressed for Addis Ababa, Beirut, or Stockholm.
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Origin HighHebrew, Arabic, Ethiopian
MeaningGod is gracious; a transliterated form of Johanna, from Hebrew Yochanan, used in Ethiopian, Arabic, and other traditions
U.S. rank (2024)#3319 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births48 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 987

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219722024

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

History & Origin

Yohanna is a transliteration of Johanna, the feminine of Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious' — the same root as John, Joan, and Jane. The Y-spelling mirrors how the name sounds in languages from Amharic and Arabic to Scandinavian tongues; in the Gospels, Joanna is one of the women who support Jesus and witness the empty tomb.

In the U.S. the spelling appears among Ethiopian and Eritrean, Arab Christian, and Latino families, each arriving at the same form by different routes. It remains rare — a global passport version of a name English speakers know as Joanna.

Did you know? The original Greek texts of the Gospels spell the name with an initial I-sound — so Yohanna is arguably closer to the apostolic-era pronunciation than the English Joanna.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Johanna — root etymology

Variations

JohannaYohanaJoannaYuhanna

Nicknames

YoyoHanna

Famous Bearers

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If you like Yohanna…

Johanna— the standard Western spelling of the same name
Hannah— shares the Hebrew root for 'grace'
Yasmin— a fellow Y-spelled international favorite
Mariam— another biblical name in its cross-cultural form

Browse the whole category: All Hebrew names →  ·  All Arabic names →  ·  All Ethiopian names →  ·  All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Yohanna mean?

Yohanna is a form of Johanna, from Hebrew Yochanan, meaning 'God is gracious'.

How do you pronounce Yohanna?

It's said yoh-HAH-nah /joʊˈhɑ.nɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Yohanna a boy or girl name?

Yohanna is a girl's name in most traditions, though a similar form serves as John's equivalent in some languages.

How popular is Yohanna?

Yohanna is a rare spelling in the U.S., found across Ethiopian, Arab, and Latino communities.