Joan
Girl name · #1087 in 2025 · Uniqueness 44/100
Joan ranks #1087 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 222 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1996, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,108 girls born in 2025 was named Joan.
The 145-year story
Joan first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1932, when 21,044 girls were named Joan — good for #5 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Joan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joan in class?
Joan scores 44 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Joan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Joans were CA (24), NY (14), TX (13), MI (11), OH (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Joan
Statistically, parents drawn to Joan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jean, Joyce, Susan, Betty, and Judy.
JeanJoyceSusanBettyJudyLoisSharonMarian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 222 | #1085 |
| 2024 | 188 | #1240 |
| 2023 | 165 | #1361 |
| 2022 | 161 | #1412 |
| 2021 | 158 | #1384 |
| 2020 | 137 | #1545 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1585 |
| 2018 | 118 | #1741 |
| 2017 | 128 | #1677 |
| 2016 | 112 | #1841 |
| 2015 | 99 | #1996 |
| 2014 | 75 | #2412 |
| 2013 | 72 | #2484 |
| 2012 | 79 | #2356 |
| 2011 | 63 | #2763 |
| 2010 | 61 | #2841 |
| 2009 | 70 | #2614 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2690 |
| 2007 | 67 | #2710 |
| 2006 | 80 | #2353 |
| 2005 | 105 | #1849 |
| 2004 | 94 | #1972 |
| 2003 | 104 | #1802 |
| 2002 | 111 | #1654 |
| 2001 | 141 | #1356 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Joan a popular girl name?
Joan ranked #1087 among girls in 2025 with 222 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1996.
When was the name Joan most popular?
Joan peaked in 1932, when 21,044 American girls received the name (ranked #5 that year). Since 1932 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,108 newborn American girls was named Joan. It scores 44/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.