Jonathan is a name of Hebrew origin that means "gift from God." It is derived from the Hebrew words "yonah," which means "dove," and "tan," which means "gift." In some cases, Jonathan may also be interpreted as meaning "God has heard" or "God shows favor."
The name Jonathan first appears in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Samuel. There are two notable figures named Jonathan: one is King Saul's son, who was a close friend and ally to David; the other is a wise man from Gibeah who helps David when he is fleeing from Saul.
Over time, Jonathan has become popular as both a first name and a surname in many English-speaking countries. It has been used by families across various cultures, including those of Hebrew, Christian, and secular backgrounds. Today, Jonathan remains a well-established and classic choice for baby boys.
The name Jonathan has had varying popularity over the years in the United States, as indicated by these statistics on annual births.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the name was relatively uncommon, with only a handful of babies being named Jonathan each year. This trend continued until the mid-1970s when there was a noticeable increase in popularity, with around 9 to 10 births per year between 1974 and 1978.
The name gained significant traction in the early 1980s, reaching its peak popularity during this decade. Between 1981 and 1986, there were over 25 births each year, with a record high of 36 births in 1987. This trend continued until the mid-1990s, with around 28 to 47 births per year between 1992 and 1997.
However, the popularity of the name Jonathan started to decline after the late 1990s. From 2000 onwards, there were fewer than 50 births each year, with a notable drop to just 7 births in both 2018 and 2019. In recent years, the popularity of the name has stabilized at around 10 births per year.
In total, there have been 1,219 babies named Jonathan born in the United States since 1968. Despite fluctuations in popularity over the decades, Jonathan remains a classic and enduring name choice for parents.