unisex name
Jordan
JOR-dun
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 687,653
the United States
#131
2025 births
Jordan is a name from the river, whose Hebrew name Yarden means "to descend" or "flow down" — the Jordan drops sharply from its source to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the earth's land surface.
- Jordan is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1990, when 22,094 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,025 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Jordan 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 | 158 |
| 1890s | 117 |
| 1900s | 123 |
| 1910s | 395 |
| 1920s | 854 |
| 1930s | 770 |
| 1940s | 690 |
| 1950s | 1,218 |
| 1960s | 1,913 |
| 1970s | 6,281 |
| 1980s | 70,959 |
| 1990s | 206,513 |
| 2000s | 144,371 |
| 2010s | 76,717 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 25,716 |
What Jordan means
Jordan means descending or flowing down, from the Hebrew yarad, to go down. The name is a plain description of the river's behavior rather than a symbolic one.
Where Jordan comes from
Jordan comes from the Hebrew Yarden, from yarad, to descend — an accurate description, since the river falls from the slopes of Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea, 430 meters below sea level. The name entered European use through the Crusades: returning crusaders brought back Jordan water for baptisms and named children after it, which is how a river became a personal name in medieval England and France. It was originally used for both sexes even then. Modern American use is strongly associated with Michael Jordan, and the name is given to both boys and girls.
Jordan in use
Crusaders brought Jordan water home for baptisms and named children after the river — which is why a Middle Eastern river became a medieval European name.
How popular is Jordan?
In 2025, Jordan was given to 3,235 babies in the United States, ranking #131 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Jordan 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 Jordan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jordan also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jordan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Jordan
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.
Jordan 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.
Sibling names for Jordan
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jordan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jordan
What does the name Jordan mean?
Jordan means "to descend" or "flow down," from the Hebrew name of the river.
Is Jordan a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, and it has been used for both since the medieval period.
How did a river become a name?
Crusaders brought Jordan water back for baptisms and named children after it.
How popular is the name Jordan?
In 2025, Jordan was given to 3,235 babies in the United States, ranking #131 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
How many syllables are in Jordan?
Jordan has 2 syllables.
When was Jordan most popular?
Jordan peaked in 1990, when 22,094 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jordan?
Jordan is usually shortened to Jordy, Dan and Jory.
Is Jordan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jordan currently ranks #108 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.