boy's name
Jonathan
JON-uh-thun
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 1,044,014
the United States
#89
2025 births
Jonathan is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has given," from Yehonatan. He is Saul's son in First Samuel, whose friendship with David is described in terms stronger than the text uses for almost any other relationship.
- Jonathan is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1988, when 24,513 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 866 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Jonathan over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 192 |
| 1890s | 129 |
| 1900s | 139 |
| 1910s | 660 |
| 1920s | 1,078 |
| 1930s | 1,663 |
| 1940s | 8,296 |
| 1950s | 25,869 |
| 1960s | 47,578 |
| 1970s | 108,561 |
| 1980s | 231,536 |
| 1990s | 198,129 |
| 2000s | 145,190 |
| 2010s | 80,001 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 25,419 |
What Jonathan means
Jonathan means Yahweh has given or God has given, combining a shortened form of the divine name with natan, to give. It is the same construction as Nathaniel, which uses El rather than Yah for God.
Where Jonathan comes from
Jonathan comes from the Hebrew Yehonatan, from Yah and natan, meaning to give. The biblical Jonathan is the eldest son of King Saul, and his relationship with David dominates several chapters of First Samuel: he warns David of his father's intent, exchanges his own robe and armour with him, and David's lament after his death at Gilboa is among the most quoted passages in the Hebrew Bible. Jonathan and Nathan share the same verb, and Nathaniel expresses the same idea with the alternative word for God. The name entered English use after the Reformation and has been steadily used since.
Jonathan in use
Jonathan, Nathan and Nathaniel are three ways of saying the same thing with the same Hebrew verb.
How popular is Jonathan?
In 2025, Jonathan was given to 3,827 babies in the United States, ranking #89 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Jonathan is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Jonathan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jonathan also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jonathan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Jonathan
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Jonathan in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Polish
- Jonatan
Sibling names for Jonathan
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jonathan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jonathan
What does the name Jonathan mean?
Jonathan means "Yahweh has given," from the Hebrew Yehonatan.
Who was Jonathan in the Bible?
Saul's eldest son, whose close friendship with David is described at length in First Samuel.
Is Jonathan related to Nathan?
Yes. Both use the Hebrew verb natan, to give; Jonathan adds the divine name.
How popular is the name Jonathan?
In 2025, Jonathan was given to 3,827 babies in the United States, ranking #89 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Jonathan a girl's or a boy's name?
Jonathan is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jonathan?
Jonathan has 3 syllables.
When was Jonathan most popular?
Jonathan peaked in 1988, when 24,513 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jonathan?
Jonathan is usually shortened to Jon, Nathan, Jonny and Jonty.
Is Jonathan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jonathan currently ranks #89 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.