Žanna is the Latvian form of Jeanne, itself a modern French development of Jehanne, which derives from the Old French feminine form of Iohannes (ultimately from John, meaning "Yahweh is gracious"). The name entered Latvian via French, as evidenced by the common reference to Žanna d'Arka (Joan of Arc). It is also used as a transliteration of the Russian given name Жанна (Zhanna).
Etymology and History
The Hebrew root of the name is יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan), combining יוֹ (yo), referring to the Hebrew God, and חָנַן (ḥanan), meaning "to be gracious." The name became popular in Western Europe after the First Crusade, and its French feminine form Jeanne gained particular prominence in France since the 13th century. In Latvia, Žanna was first recorded as a given name in 1891, according to Wiktionary data based on Latvian onomastic studies.
Notable Bearers
The most iconic bearer is Joan of Arc, referred to as Žanna d'Arka in Latvian. Less known but equally representative is the association with the Russian feminine name Zhanna, which in Latvian contexts is often rendered as Žanna. While no extensively documented indigenous Latvian figures stand out, the name has been consistently used, with the Population Register of Latvia listing 4056 women named Žanna as of 2010.
Cultural Significance and Variants
In Latvia, Žanna is primarily a feminine first name of French origin. Related Latvian forms include Žanete and Jana, as well as the names connected through the broader European tradition: the other-language forms Zhanna (Ukrainian), Joanna (Polish), and Ioanna (Greek) all share the same root. The name's universal connection to the graceful meaning of the Hebrew original gives it a subtle religious heritage that carries over into Latvian.
- Meaning: Yahweh is gracious (through John's root) → French Jeanne → Latvian Žanna
- Origin: Hebrew → Greek → Latin → French → Latvian
- Type: Feminine given name
- Usage regions: Latvia (also used as transliteration of Russian Жанна)
- Related Latvian names: Žanete, Jana
Roots
Other Languages & Cultures
Same Spelling
Sources: Wiktionary — Žanna