Jordan is a unisex given name of Hebrew origin. It means "flowing down" or "descending," referring to the River Jordan, which plays a significant role in Jewish and Christian traditions. The river is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, most notably as the location where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
The name Jordan gained popularity among both boys and girls during the late 20th century. For boys, it reached its peak popularity in the United States in the mid-1980s, ranking within the top 100 baby boy names for several years. In recent years, it has remained a moderately popular choice for both genders.
Notable individuals named Jordan include:
* Jordan Belfort (born 1962), an American former stockbroker and author who inspired the film "The Wolf of Wall Street"
* Jordan Knight (born 1970), an American singer-songwriter, member of the boy band New Kids on the Block
* Jordan Catalano, a fictional character from the television series "My So-Called Life," played by Jared Leto
In popular culture, the name Jordan is often associated with athletic prowess, as it was worn by several prominent sports figures throughout history, such as basketball players Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. However, this connection does not seem to have significantly impacted the name's overall popularity or meaning.
In summary, Jordan is a Hebrew unisex given name that means "flowing down" or "descending," referring to the River Jordan. It has been popular for both boys and girls since the late 20th century and is associated with various notable individuals throughout history. Despite its athletic connotations in modern culture, the name's primary significance remains linked to its biblical origins.
The name Jordan has seen a significant increase in popularity over the years in the United States. Between 1950 and 2023, there have been a total of 134,514 births where the child was named Jordan.
In the early years, the number of babies named Jordan was quite low. In fact, between 1950 and 1968, there were fewer than 10 births per year with the name Jordan. However, starting in 1973, we see a significant increase in popularity, with 16 births that year.
The peak of popularity for the name Jordan occurred in 1994, when there were 6,258 babies named Jordan at birth. This trend continued throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, with over 5,000 births each year between 1990 and 2003.
However, since then, we have seen a steady decline in the popularity of the name Jordan. In recent years, there have been fewer than 1,000 babies named Jordan at birth each year. In fact, in 2022 and 2023, there were only 629 and 613 births respectively with the name Jordan.
Despite this decline in popularity, the name Jordan remains a popular choice among parents in the United States. It has consistently ranked among the top 500 names for boys since the 1970s, according to Social Security Administration data.