Joan
A clipped or hypochoristic form of Joanna, from Latin Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the…
Every Joan since 1880 — 488,939 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Joan
Joan is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,087 in 2025 with 222 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 488,939 American babies have been named Joan. Its peak came in 1932, when 21,132 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Joan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Joan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 222 | #1,087 | 232 | #987 |
| 2024 | 188 | #1,240 | 220 | #1,016 |
| 2023 | 165 | #1,365 | 200 | #1,079 |
| 2022 | 161 | #1,413 | 201 | #1,088 |
| 2021 | 158 | #1,387 | 185 | #1,112 |
| 2020 | 137 | #1,547 | 172 | #1,135 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1,591 | 165 | #1,175 |
| 2018 | 118 | #1,747 | 178 | #1,104 |
| 2017 | 128 | #1,680 | 172 | #1,117 |
| 2016 | 112 | #1,846 | 188 | #1,052 |
| 2015 | 99 | #2,001 | 170 | #1,127 |
| 2014 | 75 | #2,430 | 150 | #1,220 |
| 2013 | 72 | #2,496 | 168 | #1,103 |
| 2012 | 79 | #2,365 | 140 | #1,261 |
| 2011 | 63 | #2,780 | 144 | #1,212 |
| 2010 | 61 | #2,853 | 150 | #1,198 |
| 2009 | 70 | #2,627 | 178 | #1,060 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2,704 | 173 | #1,083 |
| 2007 | 67 | #2,728 | 217 | #913 |
| 2006 | 80 | #2,360 | 188 | #990 |
| 2005 | 105 | #1,852 | 173 | #997 |
| 2004 | 94 | #1,977 | 161 | #1,021 |
| 2003 | 104 | #1,806 | 139 | #1,106 |
| 2002 | 111 | #1,659 | 221 | #782 |
| 2001 | 141 | #1,357 | 186 | #865 |
| 2000 | 163 | #1,221 | 170 | #912 |
| 1995 | 161 | #1,103 | 41 | #2,043 |
| 1990 | 271 | #763 | 46 | #1,742 |
| 1985 | 316 | #601 | 23 | #2,324 |
| 1980 | 422 | #491 | 18 | #2,670 |
| 1975 | 550 | #378 | 10 | #3,535 |
| 1970 | 1,308 | #240 | 15 | #2,444 |
| 1965 | 3,279 | #116 | 19 | #1,835 |
| 1960 | 5,881 | #80 | 28 | #1,538 |
| 1955 | 8,557 | #46 | 32 | #1,353 |
| 1950 | 8,860 | #40 | 28 | #1,378 |
| 1945 | 10,394 | #25 | 24 | #1,360 |
| 1940 | 13,292 | #14 | 63 | #785 |
| 1935 | 18,220 | #7 | 90 | #619 |
| 1930 | 15,478 | #8 | 68 | #780 |
| 1925 | 4,030 | #66 | 27 | #1,436 |
| 1920 | 1,647 | #143 | 16 | #2,094 |
| 1915 | 784 | #210 | 7 | #3,226 |
| 1910 | 196 | #277 | — | — |
| 1905 | 104 | #332 | — | — |
| 1900 | 57 | #443 | — | — |
| 1895 | 28 | #569 | — | — |
| 1890 | 18 | #628 | — | — |
| 1885 | 9 | #772 | — | — |
| 1880 | 12 | #508 | — | — |
Famous people named Joan
- Joan of Arc Military personnel · 1412–1431
- Joan Miró Painter · 1893–1983
- Joan Baez Singer · b. 1941
- Joan I of Navarre Politician · 1273–1305
- Joan Fontaine Actor · 1917–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Joan mean?
A clipped or hypochoristic form of Joanna, from Latin Joanna, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its…
How popular is the name Joan in 2025?
Joan ranked #1,087 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 222 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Joan?
488,939 babies have been named Joan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Joan most popular?
Joan peaked in 1932, when 21,132 newborns received the name.
Is Joan a boy or girl name?
Joan is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Joan rising or falling?
Joan is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Joan?
Well-known people named Joan include Joan of Arc (military personnel), Joan Miró (painter), Joan Baez (singer).