Joann

Joann is an English feminine name formed as a contracted combination of Jo and Ann, itself a simplified spelling of Joanne, which derives from the Old French Jehanne. That Old French form traces back through Medieval Latin Johanna to the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning God is gracious. The name shares its roots with Joan, Joanna, Joanne, and the masculine John, all of which descend from the same Hebrew original. Its use became common in English-speaking countries during the twentieth century, often as an alternative spelling to Joanne or Jo Ann.