Jonathan
2025 SSA
About Jonathan
Jonathan was derived from the Hebrew name Yehonatan, eventually contracted to the modern Yonatan, meaning "gift of Jehovah." It comes from the elements yeho, in reference to God, and natan, meaning "to give." In the Old Testament, Jonathan was the valiant eldest son of King Saul, and it was his friendship with brother-in-law David that gave rise to the expression "Jonathan and David" to describe devoted, steadfast friends.
Jonathan is the biblical name that started to replace the stalwart John in the late fifties, sounding more playful, sensitive and modern. Now, after being high on the list for several decades, Jonathan has pretty much lost its luster.
Anne Hathaway named her oldest son Jonathan Rosebanks in 2016.
Jonathan has spawned numerous spelling variations, including Johnathan, Jonathon, and Jonothan.
Pronounced JAH-nuh-thun.
As of October 2026, Jonathan ranked #89 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #15 in 1988, Nameberry popularity #186.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #44 | 8,120 | 4,227.2 |
| 2015 | #48 | 7,656 | 3,994.3 |
| 2016 | #56 | 6,980 | 3,678.1 |
| 2017 | #55 | 6,527 | 3,526.3 |
| 2018 | #63 | 5,774 | 3,179.2 |
| 2019 | #64 | 5,466 | 3,046.5 |
| 2020 | #70 | 4,755 | 2,754.8 |
| 2021 | #77 | 4,458 | 2,548.2 |
| 2022 | #79 | 4,213 | 2,412.9 |
| 2023 | #82 | 4,088 | 2,389.8 |
| 2024 | #83 | 4,018 | 2,332.1 |
| 2025 | #89 | 3,822 | 2,237.6 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Jonathan.
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- Adam
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Jonathan on lists
Famous Jonathans
- Jonathan
valiant man under King David, son of Shage (1 Chr. 11:34)
- Jonathan
son of Abiathar, a priest in King David's reign (2 Samuel 17:27)
- Jonathan
father of Ebed, who returned to Israel with Ezra (Ezra 8:6)
- Jonathan
son of Asahel; mentioned in Ezra 10:15
- Jonathan Swift
Irish novelist
- Jonathan Daniel "Jon" Hamm
American actor
- Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz
birth name of Jon Stewart, American comedian and TV host
- Jonathan Harshman Winters
American comedian
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Irish actor
- (Robert) Jonathan Demme
American film director
- Jonathan Scott Frakes
American actor
- Jonathan Safran Foer
American novelist
- Jonathan Firth
English actor
- (Herbert) Jonathan Cape
English publisher
- Jonathan Stark
American tennis player
- Jonathan "Jonny" Marray
English tennis player
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas
American actor
- Jonathan Coulton
American singer,songwriter
- Jonathan Stewart
American football player
- Jonathan Joel Babineaux
American football player
- Jonathan Alan Horton
American gymnast
- Jonathan Barnaby Moody
son of actor Ron Moody
- Jonathan Kendrick "Johnny" Lewis
American actor
- Jonathan Stephen Ross
English TV presenter
- Jonathan Francis "Jon" Gries
American actor
- Jonathan Stuart Osser
American actor
- Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter
American actor
- Jonathan Drew Groff
American actor
- Jonathan Robert Papelbon
American baseball pitcher
- Jonathan Anthony Stroud
English novelist
- Jonathan Adam Saunders "Jay" Baruchel
Canadian actor
- Jonathan Gregory Brandis
American actor
- Kenneth George "Jonathan" King
English singer and producer
- Jonathan Howsmon Davis
lead singer of American band Korn
- Jonathan Smith aka Lil Jon
American rapper
- Jonathan Luke Ke Huy Quan
American actor
- Jonathan Pryce (born John Price)
Welsh actor
- Jonathan Allen Lethem
American novelist
- Jonathan Stafford
American ballet dancer
- Jonathan Philip Agnew
English cricketer and broadcaster
- Jonathan Odell
American poet
- Jonathan Lewis Seward
birth name of Johnny Christ, bassist of American metal band Avenged Sevenfold
- Jonathan Benjamin "JB" Gill
pop singer of English group JLS
- Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan
Nigerian politician
- Jonathan Brian Toews
Canadian hockey player
- Jonathan Patrick Joly
Irish vlogger
- Jonathan Cheban
American TV personality
- Jonathan Crombie
Canadian actor (Gilbert Blythe on "Anne of Green Gables")
- Jonathan Rosebanks Shulman (b. 2016)
son of American actress Anne Hathaway
- Jonathan Van Ness
grooming expert on Netflix's Queer Eye
- Jonathan "Jonny" Sims
writer and performer on "The Magnus Archives", used to perform with "The Mechanisms"
- Jonathan "JD" Daviss
American actor
Jonathan in pop culture
- Jonathan Alexander (Xander) Emerson
main male character in Scarlett Avery’s book “Delectably British”.
- Jonathan Byers
character in "Stranger Things"
- Jonathan
mythical creature in short story "Out There" by author Justine Avery
- Jonathan "Johnny" DiMarco
character on TV's "Degrassi: The Next Generation"
- Jonathan Christopher "Jace" Herondale
character in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
- Jonathan
character in flash fiction collection "Teasers & Pleasers: Short,Short Stories to Tickle Your Fancy in All the Right Places" by author Liam Holt
- Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern
character in the Mortal Instruments series
- Jonathan Harker
character in Bram Stoker's Dracula
- Jonathan of Conte
a character in the Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
- Jonathan Kent
adoptive father of Superman
- Jonathan "Jon" Kent
son of Superman
- Jonathan "Johnny" Storm
character in Marvel Universe
- Jonathan Pangborn
character in Marvel Universe
- Dr. Jonathan Ohnn aka Spot
character in Marvel Universe
- "Jonathan Cleaned Up
Then He Heard A Sound" (or Blackberry Subway Jam), children's book by Robert Munsch
- Jonathan "Jono" Van Helsing
character on TV's "Young Dracula"
- Jonathan E
character in 1975 movie "Rollerball'
- Jonathan "John" Gilbert
character in The Vampire Diaries series
- Jonathan Crane aka The Scarecrow
villain in the Batman series
- Jonathan "Than" Getslinhaumer
character in YouTube series, "The Most Popular Girls in School", who is conflicted about his sexuality
- "Jonathan Livingston Seagull
" novel by Richard Bach
- Jonathan
assistant on TV's "30 Rock"
- Jonathan Archer
captain on TV's "Star Trek: Enterprise"
- Jonathan J. "Jack" O'Neill
character on TV's "Stargate SG,1"
- Jonathan Levinson
character on TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
- "Jonathan
" song by Fiona Apple
- Jonathan Phaedrus
aka "Prof," character in The Reckoners Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
- Jonathan Strange
titular character in Susanna Clarke's novel "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell"
- Jonathan Joestar
aka "JoJo," character in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
- Jonathan "Johnny Stein
" character in the movie Hotel Transylvania
- Jonathan Creek
titular character on BBC's Jonathan Creek
- Jonathan Smith
main character in TV series "Highway to Heaven"
- Jonathan "John" Murphy
character in "The 100"
- Jonathan Q "Jon" Arbuckle
Character in the Garfield comic strip by Jim Davis,
- Jonathan Turner
unconventional English teacher on TV show "Boy Meets World"
- Jonathan Sims
head archivist of the Magnus Institute, London on "The Magnus Archives"