Meaning: Its source is Yochana, a Hebrew name meaning "God's grace."

Variant Forms: Janiesa

Popularity: The name Janessa ranked 654th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 2298th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: The Hebrew Yochana was translated into Latin as Joanna or Johanna. Over time these developed into the Old French Jehan(n)e. At various points this string of ancestors spun off many modern variations that have enjoyed a great deal of popularity.

Most of them share the quality of simplicity. Whether we call to mind the fictitious Jane Q. Public or the legendary Joan of Arc (Jeanne D'Arc in French), these names seem to emerge from the heart of the people.