Named after Johnstraße, which honours the general and war minister Franz von John.
The street was named on 13 July 1894 after Franz Xaver Freiherr von John (1815–1876); before that it was Rudolfstraße. John was decorated for the Battle of Custozza in 1866, became chief of the Austrian general staff after the Battle of Königgrätz that year, and war minister on 30 October 1866.