The meaning of the name “Jonathan” is: “God has given; gift of God”.
Additional information: The undisputed origin of this name is that it comes from the Hebrew name Yonatan. This is taken to mean “Yahweh has given” or, “God has given”. It is a masculine name that has seen little to no feminine use since it began to be used. Jonathan was first seen to be used as a given name in the Biblical context with King Saul’s son Jonathan, a close friend of the later King David. Jonathan was a courageous defender of Israel and was killed in battle against the Philistines.
Many variations of the name Jonathan exist around the world. In English, the most common variants are Johnathan or Jonathon, but there are also the versions Johnatan, Jonothan, Yonaton, Yonatan, Yhonathan, or Jonatan. Short forms of the name include Johnny, Jonny, Jon, and sometimes Jonty. There are two names that share a similar meaning as Jonathan. These are the Greek name Theodore, meaning “God’s gift” and the Slavic name Bogdan, meaning “Given by God”.
Jonathan was not a commonly given first name in recorded history until around the 1940s when its use began a steady incline in many countries around the world. It came to a worldwide peak in the early 1980s, and in 1981, it was the 14th most popular name for boys in Canada and the 16th most popular name for boys in the USA. In 2014, it was featured in the top 50 boy's names list for 4 different countries, with Mexico's 27th place being the highest rank. It was also in an additional 6 other country’s top 100 boy’s names list.
Notable people and celebrities name Jonathan include Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels; Jonathan Toews, a hockey player; Jonathan Silver Scott, a TV host and personality; Jonathan Taylor Thomas, an actor; and Jonathan Davis, a rock singer.
The first thing you should know if you are considering Jonathan for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Jonathan is a boy name.
The name Jonathan is of Hebrew origin, and is used in more than one countries and different languages of the world, especially English speaking countries, German speaking countries, Hebrew speaking countries among others.
If you consider naming your baby Jonathan we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Jonathan Name Meaning
The meaning of Jonathan is “God has given; gift of God”. Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Jonathan and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Jonathan and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Jonathan is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
Hey! How’s your love life going lately? Get a free love reading & personal horoscope
with the most truthful answers. Start to grab every chance for success in your life! Did I mention it’s FREE?
(Sponsored Link; 18+ only)
Name Jonathan Categories
The name Jonathan is in the following categories: American Names, Australian Names, Biblical Names, British Names, Canadian Names, Christian Names, Classic Names, English Names, German Names, Hebrew Names, Jewish Names, New Zealand Names, Scandinavian Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Jonathan. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Jonathan, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Jonathan
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Jonathan displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Jonathan Boy Name Popularity Chart
Jonathan Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
Songs and Videos about the name Jonathan:
Songs that include the name Jonathan within the lyrics include The Naming of Cats by CATS, Jonathan by Christine and the Queens, and Jonathan by Emily Kinney.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
Our research is continuous so that we can deliver a high quality service; our lists are reviewed by our name experts regularly but if you think the information on this page is incorrect or incomplete, please let us know. Use our contact form to submit your suggestions, or leave your comment below.
Jonathan
