Jon is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical name Jonathan, which means "gift of God" or "given by God." The name Jonathan appears in the Old Testament of the Bible as the son of King Saul and the close friend of David, who later became king himself.
The shortened form Jon has been used as an independent given name since the 19th century. It is a simple yet appealing choice for parents looking for a classic yet modern-sounding name for their child.
In terms of popularity, Jon peaked in the mid-20th century and has since seen a decline in usage. However, it remains a solid and timeless option for parents who want to give their child a strong, masculine name with a rich history behind it.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Jon, including American jazz musician Jon Hendricks, British footballer Jonathan "Jon"ny Evans, and American actor Jon Favreau. These figures have helped to contribute to the name's lasting appeal and recognition.
Based on the statistical data provided for the name Jon in the United States from 1898 to 2023, we can observe several trends:
From 1898 to 1959, the number of births with the name Jon varied significantly each year. The first notable increase began around 1932, with a substantial jump from 164 births in 1932 to 317 births in 1933. This upward trend continued throughout the 1930s and 1940s, reaching its peak in 1954 with 3161 births.
After 1959, there was a steady decline in the number of births named Jon until around 1971 when it reached its lowest point during this period with 2516 births. This trend continued until approximately 1980, after which there was another gradual increase in popularity for the name Jon.
From 1980 onwards, the number of births with the name Jon fluctuated but generally remained relatively stable and lower compared to previous decades. The most recent data from 2020 to 2023 shows a further decrease in popularity, with only 253 births recorded in 2023.
In total, there were 167,622 births named Jon in the United States between 1898 and 2023.