Feminine variant spelling of Johnny, from Hebrew Yohanan meaning God is gracious.
Jonni is a variant spelling of Joni or Jonnie, the feminine diminutive of John, which traces back through Latin Ioannes to Greek Ioannes and ultimately to the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning "God is gracious." John is among the most durable names in the Western world, carried by apostles, popes, kings, and prophets across two thousand years of recorded history. The diminutive forms — Johnny, Joni, Jonni — softened and feminized the name over time, emerging primarily in the twentieth century as parents sought names that felt both familiar and fresh.
The most influential bearer of the feminized form was undoubtedly Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, born Roberta Joan Anderson, who adopted her nickname as a professional name and transformed it into a byword for artistic seriousness and emotional depth. Her influence on the spelling Joni — and by extension Jonni — is difficult to overstate; she made the name feel simultaneously intimate and iconic. The variant spelling with double-n and an i gives Jonni a slightly more unconventional, playful appearance while preserving the sound entirely.
Jonni functions well across cultures precisely because John's root resonates in so many traditions: Christian, Jewish, Islamic. It carries grace and history without feeling stiff. Contemporary parents choosing Jonni often appreciate that it reads as distinctly feminine while connecting to a name with profound historical depth — gracious, in every sense.