Yohanan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine Hebrew name meaning "God is gracious," often used as a personal name in religious and cultural contexts related to Judaism and Christianity
2. A traditional male given name of Hebrew origin signifying divine grace, commonly found in biblical and historical records
3. The personal designation derived from Hebrew roots denoting mercifulness from a deity, widely recognized in various religious traditions and communities

Etymology: Behind this name is a prayer. It combines "Yah," a short form of the divine name YHWH, with "hanan," a Hebrew verb meaning "to be gracious." The sense is closer to "gracious" than to "merciful," so "YHWH is gracious" is the more exact gloss. Names built this way, with the divine name as a prefix, were common in ancient Israel. Through Greek "Iōannēs" and Latin "Iohannes," the name passed into Europe and became English "John." From there it spread into many national forms, including Ivan, Juan, Hans and Sean. Feminine forms also grew from it: "Joan" and "Jane" both descend from the medieval French "Jehanne," itself the feminine of the French name "Jean."

Synonyms: John, Yohanan