Johan
An archaic variant of Joan, from Old French Johan, from Latin Johanna.
Every Johan since 1910 — 14,788 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Johan
Johan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #572 in 2025 with 516 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1910, 14,788 American babies have been named Johan. Its peak came in 2016, when 659 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Johan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Johan 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 | — | — | 516 | #572 |
| 2024 | — | — | 555 | #537 |
| 2023 | — | — | 517 | #564 |
| 2022 | — | — | 501 | #580 |
| 2021 | — | — | 438 | #631 |
| 2020 | — | — | 458 | #600 |
| 2019 | — | — | 481 | #580 |
| 2018 | — | — | 480 | #577 |
| 2017 | — | — | 577 | #503 |
| 2016 | — | — | 659 | #463 |
| 2015 | — | — | 514 | #559 |
| 2014 | — | — | 478 | #581 |
| 2013 | — | — | 496 | #534 |
| 2012 | — | — | 566 | #480 |
| 2011 | — | — | 520 | #502 |
| 2010 | — | — | 592 | #454 |
| 2009 | — | — | 573 | #478 |
| 2008 | — | — | 616 | #451 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,408 | 530 | #498 |
| 2006 | — | — | 476 | #531 |
| 2005 | — | — | 440 | #546 |
| 2004 | 7 | #13,389 | 395 | #573 |
| 2003 | — | — | 388 | #570 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12,815 | 447 | #511 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,657 | 393 | #547 |
| 2000 | — | — | 172 | #904 |
| 1995 | — | — | 78 | #1,331 |
| 1990 | — | — | 40 | #1,919 |
| 1985 | — | — | 33 | #1,814 |
| 1980 | — | — | 30 | #1,885 |
| 1975 | — | — | 15 | #2,695 |
| 1970 | — | — | 17 | #2,247 |
| 1965 | — | — | 16 | #2,036 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | 9 | #2,866 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,300 | 10 | #2,459 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,499 | 10 | #2,698 |
| 1925 | — | — | 7 | #3,571 |
| 1920 | — | — | 7 | #3,646 |
| 1915 | — | — | 9 | #2,726 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,721 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Johan
- Johan Cruyff Soccer player · 1947–2016
- Johan Huizinga Historian · 1872–1945
- Johan de Witt Politician · 1625–1672
- Johan Gadolin Chemist · 1760–1852
- Johan Halvorsen Composer · 1864–1935
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Johan mean?
An archaic variant of Joan, from Old French Johan, from Latin Johanna.
How popular is the name Johan in 2025?
Johan ranked #572 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 516 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Johan?
14,788 babies have been named Johan in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Johan most popular?
Johan peaked in 2016, when 659 newborns received the name.
Is Johan a boy or girl name?
Johan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Johan rising or falling?
Johan is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Johan?
Well-known people named Johan include Johan Cruyff (soccer player), Johan Huizinga (historian), Johan de Witt (politician).