Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Joanna or Joanne?

129 replies

boxersuser23 · 29/01/2024 20:34

Or both too dated??

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Hols24 · 30/01/2024 09:17

I really like Joanne, Joanna and Jo. The ones I've known have all been lovely! It's true it peaked in the seventies but as soon as you know a young one that'll change your perception 🙂 (I'm thinking of the young Peter, Ralph, Tim, Louise and Evelyn I know!)

Personally I wouldn't choose Johanna due to the uncertainty about pronunciation, and it's bound to get misspelled.

OctaviaRedQueen · 30/01/2024 08:25

No. Use Josephine.

ManukaNourished · 30/01/2024 06:31

@Sunflowersinthewind 👋

Sunflowersinthewind · 30/01/2024 06:26

I am a Joanna! So rare to see it appear on this board. I hated it growing up but now I actually really love it. Hate Jo or Joanne though which people frequently call me. I actually (politely) correct people if they use those.

Waves at the other Joannas :)

sparrow4 · 30/01/2024 06:20

I don't know any Jo's that like their name, perhaps because they are called Jo and not Joanna.

I go by Jo but I like being a Joanna. Like PPs, hate being called Joanne though. Johanna looks a bit try hard for me so I'm happy with my parents' choice.

mathanxiety · 30/01/2024 02:05

Pemba · 29/01/2024 23:18

I think Johanna is supposed to be pronounced 'Yo-hannah' though.

No, it's an older English version and the J is pronounced as an English J - there were two or three Johannas among my maternal grandmother's circle of friends and neighbours. She was born in the 1890s (and so were her friends).

MooseBeTimeForSnow · 30/01/2024 01:46

<winces>

There were three Joanne’s in my class. I was one of them.

ManukaNourished · 30/01/2024 00:32

Ooh I am a Joanna and am smiling right now because this thread has by and large pleased me, so thank you 😊😊😁

I think my name is reasonably alright I suppose but have never really been convinced that I am feeling it. I mainly go by Jo. I dislike Joanne (unfairly but I can't seem to help it) and love Josephine and Josie.

Eddy Grant's song, 'Gimme Hope Jo'anna' is an anti-apartheid song referring to Johannesburg. Top tune.

Ursulla · 30/01/2024 00:16

Johannes

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 30/01/2024 00:15

I prefer Johanna but like Joanna also.

Joanne screams born in the 70s to me.
Still kind of like it but prefer the other two.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 30/01/2024 00:08

Joanna or Johanna are pretty and unique.

Ryanstartedthefire2 · 29/01/2024 23:54

Joanna. It's cute.

KirstenBlest · 29/01/2024 23:51

@Pemba , I agree, but I've been criticised on another thread for pointing out that Rhodri doesn't start with R

Stop being so pedantic, not everything fits into your experience/knowledge.
Lots and lots of names have been anglicised/ adapted.

Hmm!
So presumably it's OK to say Jürgen as jur-gun and Jerzy as jersey

User6761 · 29/01/2024 23:49

I love Joanna, great name

alongtimeagoandfaraway · 29/01/2024 23:42

Joanne I think dates you as a child of the 60s or 70s whereas Joanna is timeless.

Pemba · 29/01/2024 23:32

But I think Johanna is the Germanic version, so should really be said with a 'Y' sound, as in Johann Sebastian Bach?

The 'H' in the middle is superfluous in the English language version of the name.

pinkdelight · 29/01/2024 23:20

Another fan of Johanna and no need to pronounce it Yo at all. Exhibit A: Visions of Johanna by Bob Dylan.

Pemba · 29/01/2024 23:18

I think Johanna is supposed to be pronounced 'Yo-hannah' though.

mathanxiety · 29/01/2024 23:13

I would choose Johanna, with an H.

It looks more hip and Scandinavian.

Definitely Joanna otherwise. Joanne is too 70s.

Fluffywhitecloudsinthesky · 29/01/2024 22:56

I have a relative called Joanna and she doesn't like her name at all. I don't know what there is to dislike about it, it's similar to Anna, Hannah, and all those, but I don't know any Jo's that like their name, perhaps because they are called Jo and not Joanna.

Daisybuttercup12345 · 29/01/2024 22:56

Joanne is pretty.

ImNotShpanishImEgyptshun · 29/01/2024 22:54

From personal experience, Joanna over Joanne. Even classier to throw an "h" in there.

Pemba · 29/01/2024 22:53

Mitherations · 29/01/2024 22:42

Joanna has a musical sound in that it's rhyming slang for piano.

Show quote history

Oh yes lol, but that's not what I meant. The sound of the name is mellifluous, wasn't there a song, maybe by Eddie Grant?

Then you have the choice of short forms, Jo or Anna.

Dated, pfft, people are so rigid in their thinking.

MindfullyAmazedHorse · 29/01/2024 22:52

Mitherations · 29/01/2024 22:10

Could you go for Anna? Someone was recently asking whether Dean is back yet, and I think Joanne's in his Ford xr3i passenger seat.

Dean was always a trouble-maker in my class at school!

Joanna is slightly prettier.

Josette is lovely and unusual,

Berlinlover · 29/01/2024 22:49

Joanna is a beautiful name.

Swipe left for the next trending thread