The nameJohan

Johan is the Scandinavian and Dutch form of John.

Boy's name
Hebrew
Feast day

Meaning

Johan comes from the Hebrew Yohanan, "God is gracious".

Origin

Hebrew, through Scandinavian and Dutch.

History

Johan is a classic in Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. Johan Cruyff made it famous worldwide. In the United States it reached 451st in 2008.

Did you know?

Johan Cruyff won three Ballon d'Or awards and gave his name to the Cruyff turn, first seen at the 1974 World Cup.

Famous people named Johan

Johan Cruyff, footballer
Johan Huizinga, historian
Johan Neeskens, footballer

Popularity of the name Johan

Johan in the United States

536thmost popular boys' name in the United States in 2024

2016peak year (659 births)

14,268babies named Johan in the United States since 1880

Births per year in the United States. Source: Social Security Administration, names given at least 5 times a year.

Johan was most popular in the United States in the 2010s, with 5,362 births over the decade, 38% of all recorded babies named Johan. Its rise began around 1987, and it peaked in 2016. Half of all babies named Johan in the United States were born before 2011, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 493 births a year.

Johan in the United Kingdom

1091stmost popular boys' name in the United Kingdom in 2025

2013peak year (52 births)

744babies named Johan in the United Kingdom since 1997

Births per year in the United Kingdom. Source: ONS, NRS and NISRA (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland), names given at least 3 times a year.

Johan was most popular in the United Kingdom in the 2010s, with 337 births over the decade, 45% of all recorded babies named Johan. Half of all babies named Johan in the United Kingdom were born before 2013, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 28 births a year.

Johan in France

392ndmost popular boys' name in France, latest official figures

1988peak year (1,370 births)

35,520babies named Johan in France since 1900

Births per year in France. Source: Insee, French national statistics office, latest official figures. Rounded numbers.

Johan in Belgium

1995peak year (58 births)

617babies named Johan in Belgium since 1995

Births per year in Belgium. Source: Statbel, names given at least 5 times a year.

Johan in Norway

39thmost popular boys' name in Norway in 2025

2015peak year (204 births)

9,723babies named Johan in Norway since 1945

Births per year in Norway. Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), table 10467.

Variants and related names

Sibling names for Johan

Names from the same generation as Johan, whose popularity in the United States has followed a similar path.

For a sister

For a brother

How many people are named Johan? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz

Johan in our baby name lists

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Johan mean?

Johan comes from the Hebrew Yohanan, "God is gracious".

What is the origin of the name Johan?

Hebrew, through Scandinavian and Dutch.

Is Johan a girl's or a boy's name?

Johan is a boy's name.

How popular is the name Johan?

In 2024, Johan was the 536th most popular name for baby boys in the United States, with 554 births.

What are the variants of the name Johan?

Variants and related names of Johan include Jean and Johannes.

What are good sibling names for Johan?

Names from the same generation, with a similar popularity in the United States: Mariam, Eve, Noemi and Elisa for a sister, Jonas, Aron, Sam and Reuben for a brother.

Who are famous people named Johan?

Johan Cruyff, footballer; Johan Huizinga, historian; Johan Neeskens, footballer.