Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. (Luke 1: 57-63)

In Greek his name was Ioannes. This is the Greek version of the Hebrew, Yowchanan, which means Jehovah has graced.

Gabriel (warrior of God) had instructed Zachariah (Jehovah remembers) that this would be the name of his son.

Yowchanan was not just his name. This was his identity. John was to become a man God had graced and through whom God's grace was extended to others.