Joan

Meaning

Joan is the English feminine form of John, ultimately from the Hebrew name Yochanan. The excerpts gloss it as “the Lord’s grace,” and also note it as a female name formed from the root of John. In medieval and later English use, it became a familiar royal and aristocratic name.

Origin

Fun fact

The excerpts note that several Scottish and English royals had daughters named Joan, and that Scots often used the form Jean instead.