Where does the name Jonathan come from?

Jonathan is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is Jonathan a boy or a girl name?

Jonathan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Jonathan are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Jonathan in 2023?

Jonathan ranks #14216 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1988 with 24,513 babies.

How do you pronounce Jonathan?

Jonathan is pronounced JON-a-than (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Jonathan?

Jonathan is also written as Jonathon, Yonatan, Jon.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

Jonathan

From Hebrew Yehonatan, meaning 'Yahweh has given'. The biblical Jonathan, eldest son of King Saul, became the devoted friend of David — one of the deepest male friendships recorded in the Hebrew Bible.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

863,016 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

4,100 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JFrom Hebrew Yehonatan, meaning 'Yahweh has given'. The biblical Jonathan, eldest son of King Saul, became the devoted friend of David — one of the deepest male friendships recorded in the Hebrew Bible.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Jonathan".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Jonathon Most common Yonatan Jon

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Jonathan.

J
Jonathan Swift (author of Gulliver’s Travels)
J
Jonathan Franzen (novelist)
J
Jonathan Groff (actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Jonathan.

What does the name Jonathan mean?: Jonathan means from Hebrew Yehonatan, meaning 'Yahweh has given'. The biblical Jonathan, eldest son of King Saul, became the devoted friend of David — one of the deepest male friendships recorded in the Hebrew Bible.
Where does the name Jonathan come from?: Jonathan is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is Jonathan a boy or a girl name?: Jonathan is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Jonathan are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Jonathan in 2023?: Jonathan ranks #14216 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1988 with 24,513 babies.
How do you pronounce Jonathan?: Jonathan is pronounced JON-a-than (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Jonathan?: Jonathan is also written as Jonathon, Yonatan, Jon.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.