
The short answer
Johan is a masculine name used in Swedish and Norwegian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016)." It ranked #572 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016). The entry lists its usage as Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Johan ranked #572 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #572 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Swedish) and that sit near Johan in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Johan mean?
Behind the Name does not give Johan a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes.
Is Johan a popular name?
Johan ranked #572 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Johan a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Johan appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Johan — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.