Jonathan
Borrowed from Hebrew יְהוֹנָתָן (yəhōnāṯān), יוֹנָתָן (yōnāṯān, literally “God has given”), apparently with influence from Aramaic [Term?].
Every Jonathan since 1880 — 874,440 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jonathan
Jonathan is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #89 in 2025 with 3,822 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 874,440 American babies have been named Jonathan. Its peak came in 1988, when 24,513 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Jonathan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jonathan 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 | 5 | #15,980 | 3,822 | #89 |
| 2024 | — | — | 4,028 | #83 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,216 | 4,094 | #82 |
| 2022 | 8 | #11,675 | 4,220 | #79 |
| 2021 | 5 | #16,354 | 4,465 | #77 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,656 | 4,757 | #70 |
| 2019 | 6 | #14,598 | 5,470 | #64 |
| 2018 | 7 | #13,071 | 5,779 | #63 |
| 2017 | 6 | #14,932 | 6,534 | #55 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7,408 | 6,982 | #56 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,773 | 7,660 | #48 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,511 | 8,120 | #44 |
| 2013 | 12 | #9,285 | 8,577 | #41 |
| 2012 | 10 | #10,808 | 9,372 | #34 |
| 2011 | 21 | #6,236 | 10,254 | #31 |
| 2010 | 14 | #8,476 | 11,140 | #28 |
| 2009 | 14 | #8,645 | 11,386 | #29 |
| 2008 | 18 | #7,207 | 12,905 | #26 |
| 2007 | 24 | #5,796 | 13,809 | #23 |
| 2006 | 27 | #5,154 | 14,387 | #22 |
| 2005 | 27 | #4,884 | 14,443 | #19 |
| 2004 | 77 | #2,274 | 14,375 | #21 |
| 2003 | 32 | #4,147 | 14,994 | #22 |
| 2002 | 35 | #3,761 | 15,514 | #21 |
| 2001 | 39 | #3,445 | 16,147 | #23 |
| 2000 | 49 | #2,918 | 16,888 | #21 |
| 1995 | 56 | #2,353 | 18,155 | #23 |
| 1990 | 92 | #1,626 | 24,077 | #17 |
| 1985 | 181 | #884 | 24,116 | #17 |
| 1980 | 104 | #1,252 | 18,986 | #21 |
| 1975 | 55 | #1,718 | 10,904 | #30 |
| 1970 | 35 | #2,252 | 8,194 | #42 |
| 1965 | 15 | #3,322 | 4,723 | #74 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,027 | 3,343 | #118 |
| 1955 | 11 | #3,663 | 3,025 | #116 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,538 | #163 |
| 1945 | — | — | 881 | #179 |
| 1940 | — | — | 276 | #342 |
| 1935 | — | — | 167 | #439 |
| 1930 | — | — | 103 | #603 |
| 1925 | — | — | 114 | #589 |
| 1920 | — | — | 111 | #596 |
| 1915 | — | — | 83 | #638 |
| 1910 | — | — | 19 | #693 |
| 1905 | — | — | 14 | #651 |
| 1900 | — | — | 11 | #818 |
| 1895 | — | — | 9 | #768 |
| 1890 | — | — | 16 | #472 |
| 1885 | — | — | 30 | #311 |
| 1880 | — | — | 18 | #415 |
Famous people named Jonathan
- Jonathan Swift Writer · 1667–1745
- Jonathan Pryce Actor · b. 1947
- Jonathan Demme Film director · 1944–2017
- Jonathan Banks Actor · b. 1947
- Jonathan Edwards Philosopher · 1703–1758
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jonathan mean?
Borrowed from Hebrew יְהוֹנָתָן (yəhōnāṯān), יוֹנָתָן (yōnāṯān, literally “God has given”), apparently with influence from Aramaic [Term?].
How popular is the name Jonathan in 2025?
Jonathan ranked #89 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,822 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jonathan?
874,440 babies have been named Jonathan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jonathan most popular?
Jonathan peaked in 1988, when 24,513 newborns received the name.
Is Jonathan a boy or girl name?
Jonathan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Jonathan rising or falling?
Jonathan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jonathan?
Well-known people named Jonathan include Jonathan Swift (writer), Jonathan Pryce (actor), Jonathan Demme (film director).