Boy name · Hebrew
Jonathan
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: Yahweh has givenJonathan is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "Yahweh has given". It is used in English, French, German, Hebrew and Spanish.
- Meaning
- Yahweh has given
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #89 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Jonathan
As a boy's name, Jonathan comes from Hebrew and means "Yahweh has given". It is used in English, French, German, Hebrew and Spanish.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Jonathan on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Jonathan on 4 lists.
“Yahweh has given; Hebrew. Loyal friend of David, 1 Samuel”
From Biblical names, names that honor God
“God has given; Hebrew. King David's loyal friend”
From Classic boy names, classic biblical boy names
“Yahweh has given; Hebrew. David's loyal friend. Spanish also spells it Jonatán”
From Mexican boy names, mexican boy names from the Bible
“God has given; Hebrew, King David's loyal friend”
From Strong boy names, strong biblical boy names
How popular is Jonathan?
- US rank in 2025
- #89
- 3,822 babies, 2,238 per million boys
- Best rank
- #15 in 1988
- 24,349 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 870,866
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 175 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 113 per million |
| 1900s | 102 per million |
| 1910s | 99 per million |
| 1920s | 98 per million |
| 1930s | 157 per million |
| 1940s | 557 per million |
| 1950s | 1,277 per million |
| 1960s | 2,460 per million |
| 1970s | 6,535 per million |
| 1980s | 12,458 per million |
| 1990s | 10,139 per million |
| 2000s | 7,257 per million |
| 2010s | 4,249 per million |
| 2020s | 2,450 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #56 | #55 | #63 | #64 | #70 | #77 | #79 | #82 | #83 | #89 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Jonathan
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Joncommon English nickname
- Jonnycommon English nickname
- Natecommon English nickname
Names with a similar meaning
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- SimonHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
- JoelYahweh is God (Hebrew, boy)
- EleazarGod has helped (Hebrew, boy)
- SimoneHe has heard (Hebrew, girl)
- BenaiahGod has built (Hebrew, boy)
- BogdanGiven by God (Slavic, boy)
- ElianaMy God has answered (Hebrew, girl)
- ElijahMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- ElliotMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Jonathan
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- SamuelName of God (Hebrew, boy)
Jonathan: common questions
What does the name Jonathan mean?
Jonathan comes from Hebrew and means "Yahweh has given". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Jonathan a boy or girl name?
Jonathan is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 5 girls and 3,822 boys in the US were named Jonathan, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Jonathan?
Common nicknames for Jonathan include Jon, Jonny and Nate.
How popular is the name Jonathan?
Jonathan ranked #89 in the US in 2025, with 3,822 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Jonathan?
Middle names that flow well with Jonathan include Beau, Drake, Ford, Knox and Lamar. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.