Talk:Johanna

I recommend that[edit]

1. this page be merged with the Joanna page, and

2. a redirect be set up so that someone who types in "Johanna" will go to Joanna.

Discuss?

Johanna-Hypatia 19:54, 16 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

In defense of the article, they're two different names with two different pronunciations. Dmarquard (talk) 12:54, 19 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'll grant you that. Better to let them stay as is. Johanna-Hypatia (talk) 20:42, 30 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Also, I had heard that is actually derived from the old Hebrew name "Yochana". Making it older than and separate from Joanna, anyway. Obviously, though, this cannot be included without a source, which I do not have. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 147.4.141.133 (talk) 03:07, 28 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

They're both from the same origin, Koine Greek Ἰωάννα. That in turn originated as a feminized form of the masculine Hellenized Jewish name Ἰωάννης, which derived from Hebrew יוחנן Yoḥānan. The Hebrew name you cite, יוחנה, Yoḥannāh (alternative transliteration Yochana), did exist in ancient times, but it was a masculine name back then e.g. Rabbi Yochana ben Zakkai. So Yoḥannāh was considered just an alternate form of Yoḥānan; there was no feminine equivalent until the feminized Greek form was introduced in the Gospel according to Luke. Yoḥannah eventually became a feminine name in Modern Hebrew, I think to have an equivalent for all the names like Joanna, Joan, Jane, etc. The name Johanna, the subject of this article, arose in Latin as an alternate form of Joanna, under the influence of the -h- in Johannes; it didn't derive directly from יוחנה. In fact, it's hard to find the name יוחנה attested at all in Hebrew before the modern era. חנה ḥannāh is a noun, but in all other personal names I know of, יו Yo- as an initial compounding element is followed by a verb. So Yoḥannāh looks kind of grammatically anomalous. Either that, or חנה ḥannāh is a 3rd-person singular feminine verbal conjugation, implying that the subject of the verb, the Hebrew name of God, is feminine. Hmm. I need an expert on ancient Hebrew grammar to explain this one for me. Johanna-Hypatia (talk) 20:42, 30 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Well, I've tried something different. I took everything Johanna-specific from the Joanna article, and moved it here.

Johanna-Hypatia 15:06, 19 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]