How to say it
JUAN
hwɑn
Masculine
Juan
God is gracious
What it means
Spanish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan ('Yahweh is gracious'). The dominant masculine name across Spanish-speaking countries for much of the 20th century.
Juan is the Spanish form of John, ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan ('Yahweh is gracious'). The Spanish J is pronounced as an aspirated H, giving the name its distinctive single-syllable sound (hwahn). Saint John (Spanish San Juan) is the patron of many Latino communities, and Juan has been a top masculine name in Spanish-speaking countries for centuries. Don Juan (the legendary seducer) and Don Juan Carlos (the former Spanish king) give the name two very different cultural footings. In the US Juan has been a top-200 name since the 1970s. Compound names like Juan Carlos and Juan Pablo are their own Spanish naming tradition.
How to spell Juan
The standard spelling is Juan. Common variants include John, João, Giovanni, but Juan is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #46 in 1999, currently #159 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Don Juan (the legendary seducer of Spanish and Italian literature) is one anchor; San Juan (the saint and the Puerto Rican capital) is the other.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Juan Carlos I of Spain King of Spain 1975-2014, presided over Spain's transition to democracy
- Don Juan Legendary Spanish seducer, in Tirso de Molina's 1630 play and Mozart's Don Giovanni
- Juan Pablo Montoya Colombian racing driver, Formula One and IndyCar champion
Spelling variants
- John
- João
- Giovanni
Names with the same feeling
See Juan from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Juan mean?
- Spanish form of John, from Hebrew Yochanan ('Yahweh is gracious'). The dominant masculine name across Spanish-speaking countries for much of the 20th century.
- What does Juan mean in Spanish?
- In Spanish, Juan means "God is gracious." Juan is the Spanish form of John, ultimately from the Hebrew Yochanan ('Yahweh is gracious'). The Spanish J is pronounced as an aspirated H, giving the name its distinctive single-syllable sound (hwahn). Saint John (Spanish San Juan) is the patron of many Latino communities, and Juan has been a top masculine name in Spanish-speaking countries for centuries. Don Juan (the legendary seducer) and Don Juan Carlos (the former Spanish king) give the name two very different cultural footings. In the US Juan has been a top-200 name since the 1970s. Compound names like Juan Carlos and Juan Pablo are their own Spanish naming tradition.
- How do you pronounce Juan?
- Juan is pronounced hwɑn. Say it as JUAN, with the stress on the "juan" syllable.
- How do you spell Juan?
- The standard spelling is Juan. Common spelling variants include John, João, Giovanni.
- Is Juan a boy or girl name?
- Juan is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Juan?
- Juan ranked #159 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.