Juana is a female given name of Spanish origin. It is derived from the masculine name Juan, which itself comes from the Latin name Iohannes. The name Iohannes is believed to have been derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning "Yahweh has favored me with a son".
The name Juana was popularized during the Middle Ages in Spain and Portugal due to the influence of the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. They had a daughter named Juana la Beltraneja who became a claimant to the throne after her father's death.
In some cultures, Juana is considered to be a variant of the name Johanna or Hannah. In others, it is simply a feminine form of Juan.
Today, Juana continues to be used as a given name for girls in Spanish-speaking countries and communities around the world. It has also gained popularity among non-Spanish speakers who are drawn to its unique sound and cultural significance.
The statistics provided indicate that the name Juana has been given to a total of 88 babies born in the United States over an extended period from 1920 to 2004. While the number of births per year varies, there are a few notable trends.
In the early years (1920 and 1929), Juana was given to 7 and 5 babies respectively. However, there is a gap in the data for several decades before it picks up again in 1968 with 6 births. This could indicate a shift in naming trends or simply a lack of available data.
The late 1970s and early 1980s saw an increase in popularity for Juana, with at least 6 births each year from 1974 to 1979. This trend continued into the late 1980s and early 1990s, with varying numbers of births per year.
Interestingly, there is another gap in the data between 1993 and 2004 before Juana appears again with 5 births in that year. This suggests that while Juana may not have been as popular during those years, it did not disappear entirely from American baby names.
Overall, these statistics demonstrate that Juana has had a consistent, albeit fluctuating, presence among American baby names over the course of nearly nine decades. Despite the gaps in data and varying popularity, Juana remains a name with a significant history in the United States.