Gianna

Gianna is an Italian feminine given name functioning as a short form of Giovanna, itself the Italian equivalent of the Latin Johanna, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan meaning God is gracious. The name has deep roots in Christian tradition through figures such as Saint John the Baptist and the evangelist John, whose name spread widely across Europe in countless feminine adaptations. Gianna gained particular prominence through Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla, a twentieth-century Italian physician and Catholic martyr canonized in 2004. Related forms include Giovanna, Joanna, Jana, Jean, Joan, and Jane.