Gideon
Borrowed from Hebrew גִּדְעוֹן (gid'ón, “Gideon”) ("feller", "hewer", "mighty warrior").
Every Gideon since 1880 — 22,302 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gideon
Gideon is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #337 in 2025 with 993 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 22,302 American babies have been named Gideon. Its peak came in 2017, when 1,161 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gideon stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gideon year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 993 | #337 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,054 | #329 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,047 | #318 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,658 | 1,027 | #330 |
| 2021 | 7 | #12,646 | 1,084 | #308 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,031 | #321 |
| 2019 | — | — | 1,043 | #320 |
| 2018 | 5 | #16,514 | 1,108 | #308 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,161 | #304 |
| 2016 | — | — | 1,034 | #336 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,055 | #327 |
| 2014 | — | — | 944 | #348 |
| 2013 | — | — | 846 | #367 |
| 2012 | — | — | 765 | #391 |
| 2011 | 5 | #17,703 | 689 | #411 |
| 2010 | — | — | 576 | #460 |
| 2009 | — | — | 486 | #544 |
| 2008 | — | — | 504 | #530 |
| 2007 | — | — | 490 | #526 |
| 2006 | — | — | 433 | #575 |
| 2005 | — | — | 304 | #684 |
| 2004 | — | — | 290 | #688 |
| 2003 | — | — | 290 | #674 |
| 2002 | 6 | #14,194 | 226 | #764 |
| 2001 | — | — | 257 | #699 |
| 2000 | — | — | 180 | #876 |
| 1995 | — | — | 137 | #950 |
| 1990 | — | — | 78 | #1,256 |
| 1985 | — | — | 51 | #1,363 |
| 1980 | — | — | 83 | #992 |
| 1975 | — | — | 49 | #1,216 |
| 1970 | — | — | 26 | #1,725 |
| 1965 | — | — | 17 | #1,952 |
| 1960 | — | — | 15 | #2,160 |
| 1955 | — | — | 20 | #1,753 |
| 1950 | — | — | 17 | #1,841 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,462 |
| 1940 | — | — | 12 | #2,117 |
| 1935 | — | — | 9 | #2,604 |
| 1930 | — | — | 14 | #2,114 |
| 1925 | — | — | 14 | #2,239 |
| 1920 | — | — | 28 | #1,399 |
| 1915 | — | — | 16 | #1,822 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,249 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 11 | #807 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #838 |
| 1885 | — | — | 13 | #529 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #616 |
Famous people named Gideon
- Gideon Politician · -1140–-1080
- Gideon Sundback Inventor · 1880–1954
- Gideon Mantell Geologist · 1790–1852
- Gideon Ståhlberg Chess player · 1908–1967
- Gideon Levy Writer · b. 1953
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gideon mean?
Borrowed from Hebrew גִּדְעוֹן (gid'ón, “Gideon”) ("feller", "hewer", "mighty warrior").
How popular is the name Gideon in 2025?
Gideon ranked #337 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 993 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gideon?
22,302 babies have been named Gideon in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gideon most popular?
Gideon peaked in 2017, when 1,161 newborns received the name.
Is Gideon a boy or girl name?
Gideon is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gideon rising or falling?
Gideon is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gideon?
Well-known people named Gideon include Gideon (politician), Gideon Sundback (inventor), Gideon Mantell (geologist).