Given name & surname
Joni
“God is gracious”
In Finnish use, Joni has a related form in Jani. In Finnish use, Jani carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Finnish use, Joni has a related form in Jani. In Finnish use, Jani carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Joni is a diminutive of Joan. In Finnish usage, Joni developed from John.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1930. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Joni is a variant of Jane. The history of Jane gives this family its wider story. Lady Jane Grey is one of the name’s historical bearers. In fiction, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre gave it a lasting nineteenth-century association; the novel appeared in 1847.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Joni through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 29,502
- 687 boys · 28,815 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 1,584 babies
- 2025
- 124
- #1,803 for girls · #6,988 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +31%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 14% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 112 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,803 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 41.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,576 in 1956. It also appeared in 12 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (15). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 25,986 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Joni’s family of names
In English usage, Joni is a diminutive of Joan. In Finnish usage, Joni developed from the English form John. Joni has a related form in Jane.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Joni has relatives in 5 languages.
9 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Joni
- Joni ErnstAmerican politician (born 1970)
- Joni KaukoFinnish association football playerborn 1990
- Joni JamesAmerican singer (1930–2022)
- Joni Pitkänenice hockey playerborn 1983
- Joni MäkiFinnish cross-country skierborn 1995
- Joni HuntleyAmerican high jumper (born 1956)
- Joni Eareckson TadaAmerican artistborn 1949
- Joni Nymanboxerborn 1962
- Joni MontielSpanish association football playerborn 1998
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Joni, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Janet
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Jana
“God is gracious” · “he answers”
>99% girls
Jeri
“one who rules with the spear”
>99% girls
Jayne
“God is gracious”
1% boys · 99% girls
Janice
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Jonna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Janie
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Janine
“God is gracious”
>99% girls