Juan is a popular Spanish given name derived from the Latin name Iohannes, which ultimately stems from the Hebrew name Yochanan. The name means "God is gracious" or "God has favored me."
The use of Juan as a given name dates back to the Middle Ages in Spain and was quite common among the Spanish nobility during that time period. It became even more popular after the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, who were known collectively as the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs), chose it for their son born in 1478.
Throughout history, numerous notable individuals have borne the name Juan. Some examples include:
* Saint John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz), a Spanish priest and mystic who was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.
* Juan Sebastián Elcano, a Spanish explorer who completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth between 1522-1525 after the death of Ferdinand Magellan.
* Juan de Pareja, an African slave who became a renowned painter in Spain during the Baroque period.
Today, Juan remains popular as a given name not only in Spain but also throughout Latin America and other Spanish-speaking countries around the world. It is often used interchangeably with variants such as Juanito (diminutive), Juanitoo (familiar form), or Juancito (childish form).
The name "Juan" has a rich history and popularity in the United States, as evidenced by the following birth statistics from 1880 to 2023.
From 1880 to 1907, the number of births with the name Juan fluctuated between 39 and 121 per year. The highest point during this period was in 1907, with 121 births. Between 1908 and 1950, there was a significant increase in the popularity of the name Juan, with the number of births ranging from 101 to 2026 per year. The peak during this time occurred in 1949 with 1833 births.
The trend continued into the 1960s and 1970s, with the highest number of births occurring in 1975, at 4694. Between 1978 and 2002, there was a steady increase in popularity, reaching a peak of 8130 births in 2004. Since then, the number of births with the name Juan has remained relatively stable, ranging from 2357 to 2672 births per year.
In total, from 1880 to 2023, there have been 360,602 births in the United States with the name Juan. This demonstrates that the name Juan has been a popular choice for parents over many decades and continues to be so today. The consistent and growing popularity of this name reflects its enduring appeal as a strong, classic, and meaningful choice for baby boys in the United States.