UK girl's name
Ioana
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "gift from God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ioana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ioana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 50 births.
This profile covers 481 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 58% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 479 living people in the UK are called Ioana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ioana ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 50 girls were registered as Ioana.
- • About 479 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ioana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1160
2024
Births in 2024
29
Latest year
Peak year
2017
50 births
Estimated living
479
2026
Meaning
What does Ioana mean?
The name Ioana has its origins in Greek and Romanian cultures. It is derived from the Greek name Ioanna, which is a feminine form of the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious" or "Yahweh is merciful."
The name Ioana gained popularity in Romania, where it is pronounced as "Yoana." It is a common name in both Romanian and Moldovan cultures. The earliest recorded use of the name Ioana dates back to the 10th century in Romania.
In ancient times, the name Ioana was associated with Saint John the Baptist, who was revered in Christian traditions. The name appears in various religious texts and scriptures, including the Bible and the Qur'an.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Ioana was Ioana Radu (1485-1550), a Romanian princess who played a significant role in the political affairs of her time. Another prominent individual was Ioana Bassaraba (1572-1608), a Princess of Wallachia, who was known for her support of the Orthodox Church and her patronage of the arts.
In the 17th century, Ioana Hartwig (1602-1679) was a German author and poet who gained recognition for her religious and moral writings. Ioana Andreescu (1920-2006) was a Romanian philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and aesthetics.
Ioana Berindei (1937-2018) was a prominent Romanian historian and author, known for her extensive research on the history of Romania and her publications on the subject. She played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Romanian cultural heritage.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Ioana. The name has maintained its popularity in various cultures and continues to be used as a beautiful and meaningful choice for baby girls.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ioana over time
The chart below shows babies named Ioana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ioana, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 50 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ioana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ioana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1120 | 157 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1318 | 284 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3741 | 36 | 7 |
| 1990s | #3142 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Ioana
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Ioana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ioana in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ioana was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.
When was Ioana most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 50 babies registered as Ioana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ioana?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "gift from God".
How many people are called Ioana in the UK?
A total of 481 babies have been registered as Ioana across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.