Joan
Gender: Unisex
Meaning: Dove — gentle messenger of peace and hope
Origin: Hebrew
Popularity: Ranked #987 in 2025 with 232 babies born.
History: Joan has deep American roots — Joan of Arc inspired generations of American women, and Joan Crawford, Joan Rivers, and Joan Baez each dominated their fields. The name peaked in the 1930s-40s but remains a symbol of American female strength and outspokenness.
Famous people named Joan: Joan of Arc (French heroine), Joan Rivers (comedian)
Similar names: joana, joani, joanie, joann, joanna, joannah, joannie, jhoan
Name length: 4 letters
How common is Joan? About 1 in 7,332 babies born in 2025 were named Joan, or roughly 1.2 per day in the United States.
Explore more baby names at BabyNa.me — 29,000+ names with meanings, origins, and popularity trends.
Loading name...
Frequently asked about Joan
What does the name Joan mean?
Joan means “Dove — gentle messenger of peace and hope” from Hebrew roots.
What is the origin of the name Joan?
Joan has Hebrew origin. The traditional meaning is “Dove — gentle messenger of peace and hope”.
How popular is Joan?
Joan ranked #984 in 2025 — given to 232 babies that year.
When was Joan most popular?
Joan peaked in 1932 with 21,044 babies registered that year.
Is Joan a boy or girl name?
Joan is predominantly a girls' name — over 90% of Joans in registered births are female.
Is the name Joan rising or falling in popularity?
Joan has risen 561 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #1545 in 2020 to #984 in 2025.
How long has Joan been recorded?
Joan appears in birth records across 146 years — from 1880 through 2025.