Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Giovanni

Giovanni is a male Italian name from the Latin “Io(h)annes” which is the equivalent of the English name John, from the Hebrew “Johanan” meaning ‘God is gracious.’ The name John – or Giovanni to the Italians – is borne by several important figures in the Bible. Most notably, John the Baptist who baptized sinners in the River Jordan; John the Apostle who was one of Christ’s disciples; and John the Evangelist, the author of the fourth gospel. John is one of the most enduring and heavily used names in the Western World, and it has produced many recognizable mutations in many different languages: Italian: Giovanni; Irish: Seán; Scottish: Ian; German: Johann; French: Jean; Spanish: Juan; Dutch: Jan; and Russian: Ivan – just to name a few. Giovanni is one of the most romantic-sounding of all the John names.

All About the Baby Name – Giovanni

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME GIOVANNI

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME GIOVANNI

Giovanni shows up like a blip on the radar screen in 1907 at position #898 on the United States naming charts. After that, it disappears for over 50 years until the name re-enters the charts in the mid 1960s. From each decade henceforth, Giovanni grows in popularity slowly but steadily. Today, the name has reached the height of its popularity and is nearing the Top 100 list of most-favored boys’ names in America. In the last 50 years, Giovanni has not gone backwards on the charts in any given year; that’s quite a feat! We’ll have to wait and see if the name can break-through the Top 100 in coming years. Regardless of the name’s popularity, Giovanni’s Italian zest sets it apart from other ho-hum names. It carries a certain romantic and artistic value lacking in some of the other “John” names, and it’s a wonderful choice for parents of Italian heritage. The name “Giovanni!” inspires one to kiss their finger tips and throw them up in the air while repeating the name. And the association with Don Giovanni (i.e., Don Juan) recommends a light-hearted warning: ladies beware!

Quick Facts

ON GIOVANNI

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Italian

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

128

PRONUNCIATION:

joh-VAHN-ee

SIMPLE MEANING:

God is gracious

Characteristics

OF GIOVANNI

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Giovanni

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME GIOVANNI

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Giovanni

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME GIOVANNI

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Giovanni


Popular Songs

ON GIOVANNI

Don Giovanni
a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Famous People

NAMED GIOVANNI

Giovanni Ribisi (actor)
Giovanni da Verrazzano (Italian explorer)
Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco (Italian saint)
Giovanni Battista Bononcini (Italian composer)
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Italian painter)
Giovanni Pisano (Italian sculptor)
Giovanni Paolo Pannini (Italian painter)
Giovanni Bottesini (Italian composer)
Giovanni Fattori (Italian artist)
Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Italian painter)

Children of Famous People

NAMED GIOVANNI

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Giovanni

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME GIOVANNI

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Giovanni