Joan

[Hippopotas]

Not pregnant but was randomly discussing names with my husband who hates the name Joan. I’m very disappointed as I love it and it was top of my list of names for possible future baby.

What do you guys think of the name?

Ahhh I love it and it would've been on the list for DD2 except it doesn't go with our surname! I don't know any (apart from my late nan who would've been 100 this year)

Joan I think is so fifties glamour. I love it. Didn't match our surname enough for a first name so we put it as a middle. Eva Joan was one of the favourite girls names on my list.

It's very old-fashioned, like Bert.

Worked in the care industry a long time. Joan is a very popular name in the over 75s. Never met a nasty Joan, its a sweet old name. I think it's due a come back!

Not mad on it really, although I suppose it's a classic name. Seems very plain and a bit old fashioned, although I guess it might be coming around again. I prefer Jane really, it has more feminine associations and seems even more classic . It would be fine as a middle name though.

I quite like it and Joanie as a variation is cute, these so called ‘dated’ names are due a revival, hasn’t Christine Lampard called her daughter Patricia?

Love the name. My middle name is Joan named after my god mother joanie. Love Evie too my other godmothers name.

It's my middle name (I'm late 20s), named after my wonderful late grandmother, so it has good connotations for me. That being said, my husband and I are about to name our baby boy, due in a few weeks, after our grandfathers, but I've never considered using the name Joan for a girl.

I always thought it was an old fashioned name till I met a Joan is DD2s school year (shes 18). She totally owns her name - she’s young, vibrant, outgoing and fun. It’s totally revitalised the name for me.

It is very old fashioned. The only Joans I've known were much older people, most now dead! It doesn't seem to have made a comeback like Alice and Rose have. That's no reason not to use it if you like it, you could start a trend!

However, Joanna is nice (not Joanne, that's a bit chavy now). Got this on googling:
'Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα Iōanna from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה Yôḥānnāh meaning 'God is gracious'. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna.'

Or think of something completely different. It's a good idea if you and husband can agree on the name. No point calling your child something he hates.

Sounds like a hipster name; due for a revival
I like the one syllable
Makes me think of the red headed secretary in Mad Men. Very glam 50s type.

I quite like it. I think its due a revival - it' definitely 20 years or so ahead of Joanne/Joanna which definitely aren't yet! Joanie is cute.

It's definitely not a natural shortening of Joanne/Joanna though!

I like it (it was my lovely great aunt's name) but your dh doesn't so you have to move on. Surely you wouldn't want to try to force him to give a future child a name he hates?

There are so many lovely names out there - this one doesn't matter. Maybe you could compromise and use it as a middle name?

I like it (it's my mum's name) and love the nn Joanie. Have you looked at variations in other languages? Siân in Welsh, Siobhán in Irish.

I think it's a slightly bland name - not necessarily in a bad way, though. When I hear it I think of Joan Collins and Joan Crawford and Joan Fontaine - the emphasis seems to tip naturally onto the surname, iykwim? So if you had a distinctive surname it could work really well, but might disappear a bit coupled with Smith or Brown or similar. (Which are great surnames for pairing with colourful first names that'd be A Bit Too Much otherwise.)

My mother's friends all had names like Joan, Jean, June. I think of frumpish, dull women.

I like Joan, Jean, Jane and Joanna.

I like it Op but again my Nan is called Joan. Like Joanie as well whoever mentioned Bert also great name ☺

It's ghastly, as is Jean.