Joan

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Joan: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Joan: Recorded since 1946, it reached #31 in 1964, and it stood at #898 in 2024.

5registrars recorded it
119times a registrar ranked it
79years from first to last
#31highest recorded position
22groupings it qualifies for

Region

Rising

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#2683
1997	#1287
1998	#3142
1999	#1970
2000	#1594
2001	#3262
2002	#1928
2003	#2436
2004	#2802
2005	#1934
2006	#3116
2007	#2233
2008	#2292
2009	#3031
2010	#3533
2011	#1665
2012	#2717
2013	#2649
2014	#2203
2015	#1649
2016	#1834
2017	#2502
2018	#2499
2019	#2170
2020	#2163
2021	#1692
2022	#1849
2023	#1774
2024	#1743

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 55 of the 61 years from 1964 to 2024.

In 2024: #898 among girls in Republic of Ireland, #1743 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1946–2024 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1946
First recorded at #351 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #31 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1743 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls

Joan appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, with 55 ranked years and 3,080 births registered; the earliest is Norway · Girls, from 1946.

Joan across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Joan's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#31 (1964)	#31 (1964)	#898 (2024)	55 of 61	3,080 (1964–2024)	262 (1964)
Norway · Girls	#351 (1946)	#325 (1954)	#644 (1993)	26 of 48	131 (1946–1993)	8 (1954)
England and Wales · Girls	#2683 (1996)	#1287 (1997)	#1743 (2024)	29 of 29	308 (1996–2024)	18 (2015)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#67 (1952)	#67 (1952)	#89 (1956)	5 of 5	491 (1952–1956)	125 (1952)
New Zealand · Girls	#84 (1954)	#84 (1954)	#91 (1956)	3 of 3	199 (1954–1956)	71 (1954)

Joan by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Joan in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960sbusiest	1,371	6 of 10	229
1970s	1,106	10 of 10	111
1980s	388	10 of 10	39
1990s	120	10 of 10	12
2000s	49	8 of 10	6
2010s	30	7 of 10	4
2020s	16	4 of 10	4

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 1960s were its busiest decade — the 6 years of it this list covers, averaging 229 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Joan appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1946 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #31 in Republic of Ireland in 1964.

Joan's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#1743	17	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#1774	16	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#1849	15	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#1692	17	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#4789	3	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#2163	12	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#2170	12	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#2499	10	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#2502	10	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#1834	16	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#1649	18	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#2203	12	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#2649	9	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#2717	9	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#1665	17	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#3533	6	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#3031	7	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#2292	10	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#2233	10	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#3116	6	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#1934	11	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#2802	6	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#2436	7	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#1928	9	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#3262	4	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#1594	11	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#1970	8	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#3142	4	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#1287	14	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#2683	5	High	Verified
1956	New South Wales, Australia	female	#89	79	Insufficient	Not yet available
1955	New South Wales, Australia	female	#84	93	Insufficient	Not yet available
1954	New South Wales, Australia	female	#87	84	Insufficient	Not yet available
1953	New South Wales, Australia	female	#76	110	Insufficient	Not yet available
1952	New South Wales, Australia	female	#67	125	Insufficient	Not yet available
1956	New Zealand	female	#91	66	High	Verified
1955	New Zealand	female	#97	62	High	Verified
1954	New Zealand	female	#84	71	High	Verified
1993	Norway	female	#644	4	High	Verified
1991	Norway	female	#654	4	High	Verified
1989	Norway	female	#575	6	High	Verified
1988	Norway	female	#672	4	High	Verified
1987	Norway	female	#612	5	High	Verified
1986	Norway	female	#559	6	High	Verified
1985	Norway	female	#609	5	High	Verified
1984	Norway	female	#654	4	High	Verified
1983	Norway	female	#644	4	High	Verified
1982	Norway	female	#641	4	High	Verified
1981	Norway	female	#639	4	High	Verified
1980	Norway	female	#494	7	High	Verified
1977	Norway	female	#556	5	High	Verified
1976	Norway	female	#610	4	High	Verified
1971	Norway	female	#526	5	High	Verified
1970	Norway	female	#596	4	High	Verified
1966	Norway	female	#521	4	High	Verified
1965	Norway	female	#500	5	High	Verified
1961	Norway	female	#442	5	High	Verified
1959	Norway	female	#423	5	High	Verified
1954	Norway	female	#325	8	High	Verified
1951	Norway	female	#342	6	High	Verified
1950	Norway	female	#369	5	High	Verified
1949	Norway	female	#367	5	High	Verified
1947	Norway	female	#331	7	High	Verified
1946	Norway	female	#351	6	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	female	#898	3	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#727	4	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#905	3	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#586	6	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#629	5	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#651	5	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#661	5	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#894	3	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#677	5	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#937	3	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#758	4	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#539	7	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#597	6	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#705	4	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#461	6	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#476	6	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#403	7	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#315	9	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#465	4	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#439	4	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#380	5	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	14	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#295	10	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#283	11	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#240	14	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#213	18	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#238	16	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#273	12	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#228	16	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#164	29	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#177	26	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#188	26	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#168	32	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#187	28	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#142	45	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#130	54	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#142	48	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#156	43	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#134	57	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#128	59	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#110	74	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#100	79	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#86	101	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#83	97	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#84	107	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#76	121	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#60	136	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#59	147	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#44	185	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#40	196	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#32	206	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#32	226	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#33	219	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#33	262	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#31	262	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1946 and 2024, ranked in 73 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #31, first reached in 1964.

It held a top-100 place in 19 years, 14 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 262 births, registered in Republic of Ireland in 1964.

Its record falls into 5 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 2 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1952, and 50 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Joah · #1903, 17y
Joakim · #20, 58y
Joana · #896, 29y
Joanie · #638, 24y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Annette · #31, 72y
Maureen · #31, 70y
Carolyn · #32, 68y
Gavin · #32, 72y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Allan · #31, 78y
Annette · #31, 72y
Edel · #31, 81y
Gry · #31, 57y

Joan was ranked #31 in Republic of Ireland · Girls in 1964. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Joan and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Joan without appearing here.

Joan moved ahead of

Kari Compare
In 2010 they stood at #3533 and #3533 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #1665 and #5785.
Kirsten Compare
In 2018 they stood at #2499 and #1977 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2019 that had become #2170 and #5591.
Pauline Compare
In 2010 they stood at #3533 and #2589 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #1665 and #4764.
Belinda Compare
In 2013 they stood at #2649 and #2062 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2014 that had become #2203 and #4684.

Moved ahead of Joan

Ida Compare
In 2000 they stood at #1594 and #2167 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2001 that had become #3262 and #1728.
Frida Compare
In 2003 they stood at #2436 and #2727 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2004 that had become #2802 and #1836.
Eabha Compare
In 2019 they stood at #2170 and #2458 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #2163 and #1313.
Blake Compare
In 2011 they stood at #1665 and #2893 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #2717 and #1893.

Moved the opposite way to Joan

Ada Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 while Ada went from #372 to #50.
Amelia Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 while Amelia went from #300 to #8.
Annie Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 while Annie went from #112 to #41.
Aoife Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 while Aoife went from #206 to #45.

Moved the same way as Joan

Alison Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 and Alison from #146 to #275.
Amanda Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 and Amanda from #118 to #631.
Ann Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 and Ann from #4 to #556.
Audrey Compare
Between 1964 and 2024 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Joan went from #31 to #898 and Audrey from #85 to #898.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1946 to 2024. Highest recorded position: #31 in Republic of Ireland in 1964. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Joan

Joan at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Joan across 5 official records

Joan by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Joan appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Names published alongside Joan

Joan and the names beside it

Joan moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Joan

Moved the opposite way to Joan

Moved the same way as Joan

Joan at a glance

Joan across 5 official records

Joan by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Joan appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Names published alongside Joan

Joan and the names beside it

Joan moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Joan

Moved the opposite way to Joan

Moved the same way as Joan