Johan is a male given name of Scandinavian origin, derived from the ancient personal name John, which ultimately stems from the Latin 'Iohannes'. It means 'God is gracious' and has been widely used throughout Scandinavia for centuries. Johan is also popular in other European countries like Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
The name Johan was popular among parents during the early to mid-20th century, with a total of 135 babies named Johan born between 1928 and 2007. The peak years for the name's popularity were from 1934 to 1937, when it consistently ranked as one of the top ten boys' names each year, with eight births annually during those years. However, its popularity declined significantly after World War II and remained relatively stable but low throughout the latter half of the century until the early 2000s, with only a handful of Johan births recorded each year.