Last updated: March 2026

Character Name

Joanna

Meaning — Joanna is the Latinate feminine form of John, derived from the Hebrew "Yochanan" meaning "God is gracious." In the New Testament, Joanna appears as one of the women who followed Jesus and who witnessed the empty tomb — an early and significant figure in the Christian story. The name has been used in Poland since medieval times and is one of the most stable and enduring of Polish feminine names.·Polish origin·Female·yoh-AHN-nah

Joanna Joanna is a name of enduring, understated elegance in Polish culture — neither fashionably trendy nor archly old-fashioned, it suggests a woman of steady, reliable character and genuine warmth. The Polish diminutive Joasia gives it an immediate intimacy that belies the name's formal dignity.

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Contemporary FictionLiterary FictionRomanceHistorical Fiction

Famous characters named Joanna

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Variations & nicknames

JoannaJoasiaJoanJanaJohanna

Pairs well with

Joanna KowalskaJoanna NowakJoanna WiśniewskaJoanna JabłońskaJoanna WróbelJoanna Dąbrowska

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Related names

Anna

Old Slavic · “Anna is the Latin form of the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "favour" or "grace." It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of Samuel's mother and in the New Testament as Anna the Prophetess. Through its adoption by early Christianity and the veneration of Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary, the name spread throughout Europe and became one of the most enduring feminine names in all Slavic languages.”

Ewa

Polish · “Ewa is the Polish form of Eve, derived from the Hebrew "Chava" meaning "life" or "living" — related to the Hebrew word "chai" meaning "life." In Genesis, Adam names his wife Chavah "because she was the mother of all living." The name has been used in Poland since the Christianization of the country and remains one of the most enduring and popular Polish feminine names, deeply embedded in both religious tradition and everyday Polish life.”

Monika

Polish · “Monika is the Slavic form of Monica, a name of uncertain origin — possibly Berber or Phoenician (associated with North Africa where Saint Monica lived), possibly from the Latin "monere" meaning "to advise" or "to warn." Saint Monica (331–387), the deeply devout mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose decades of prayer finally converted her brilliant but wayward son, gave this name an enduring spiritual significance across Catholic Europe.”

Hanna

Amharic · “In Ethiopia, Hanna is the Amharic/Ge'ez form of the Hebrew Hannah meaning "grace" or "favor". It is one of the most widely used feminine names in Ethiopia, deeply embedded in Ethiopian Orthodox Christian tradition through the figure of Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel.”


More Polish names

Paulina

“Paulina is the feminine form of Paulinus, a derivative of Paulus (Paul), from the Latin paulus meaning "small" or "humble." It is used as a feminine given name in Polish, Czech, Spanish, Portuguese, and other European languages. In Poland Paulina has been a popular name since the medieval period, carried by saints and noble women alike.”

Matylda

“Matylda is the Polish form of Matilda, a Germanic feminine name composed of maht meaning "might" or "strength" and hild meaning "battle" — thus "mighty in battle." The name was made famous by Empress Matilda (1102–1167), daughter of Henry I of England, who fought for the English crown, and by the fictional Matilda of Roald Dahl.”

Anastazja

“Anastazja is the Polish form of Anastasia, derived from the Greek anastasis meaning "resurrection" — from ana (up, again) and histanai (to stand). The name has deep religious resonance in both Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, associated with Saint Anastasia, a fourth-century martyr. In Russian imperial history, Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanova made the name famous worldwide.”

Jadwiga

“Jadwiga is the Polish form of Hedwig, derived from the Old High German "Hadawig," composed of "hadu" meaning "battle" or "combat" and "wig" meaning "war" or "warrior." Saint Jadwiga of Poland (1373–1399) — the young queen who brought the Grand Duchy of Lithuania into the Catholic Christian fold and founded Jagiellonian University — is one of the most honored figures in Polish history. She was canonized in 1997 by Pope John Paul II.”

Kamil

“Kamil is a masculine name with dual origins. As a Slavic name used in Poland and Czech Republic, it derives from the Latin Camillus, a Roman cognomen possibly meaning "young ceremonial attendant" or "free-born." In Arabic-speaking countries and Muslim Slavic communities, Kamil derives from the Arabic kāmil meaning "perfect" or "complete."”

Wladyslaw

“Władysław is a Polish masculine name of purely Slavic origin, composed of "władać" meaning "to rule" or "to govern" and "sława" meaning "glory" — thus "glorious ruler." It is one of the most regal of Polish names, borne by four Kings of Poland including Władysław I Łokietek (Władysław the Elbow-High, 1260–1333), who reunified the fragmented Polish lands. The name has deep associations with Polish kingship and national restoration.”


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