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Summary
- No one named Gianna appears in the Bible. Gianna is an Italian short form of Giovanna, the feminine of Giovanni, which is Italian for John.
- John comes from the Hebrew Yohanan, “Yahweh is gracious,” so Gianna shares that meaning with Joanna, Joan, Jeanne and Juana.
- Joanna, the Bible’s feminine form, appears in Luke 8:3 and 24:10 among the women who followed Jesus.
- Luke 1:13 and 1:59–63 tell how John the Baptist received his name.
- Saint Gianna Beretta Molla (1922–1962), an Italian physician, was canonized in 2004. Her feast is on 28 April.
- In the United States the name rose to 13th place for girls in 2020, the year Gianna Bryant died.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Behind the Name, “Gianna,” “Giana,” “Giovanna,” “Giovanni,” “Joanna,” “John,” “Ioanna,” “Jeanne” and “Juana,” with United States popularity figures from Social Security Administration data. https://www.behindthename.com/name/gianna
- Holy See, “Gianna Beretta Molla (1922–1962),” biography for the canonization of 16 May 2004. https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040516_beretta-molla_en.html
- Franciscan Media, “Saint Gianna Beretta Molla,” Saint of the Day. https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-gianna-beretta-molla/
- “Gianna Beretta Molla,” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianna_Beretta_Molla
- “Gianna Bryant,” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianna_Bryant
- Hebrew text of Exodus 34:6, Bible Hub interlinear. https://biblehub.com/text/exodus/34-6.htm
- Scripture quotations from the English Standard Version: Exodus 34:6; Luke 1:13, 60, 63; 8:3. References: Luke 1:18–22, 59–63; 8:1–3; 24:10.
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