Jonathan Name Meaning & Origin
Jonathan
Origin of the name Jonathan:
Derived from the Hebrew Yonatan, a short form of Yehonatan which is derived from yehōnātān (Yahweh has given). The name is borne in the Bible by the eldest son of King Saul. Var: Jonothan, Jonothon. Short: Jon. Pet: Jonnie, Jonny.
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.
Looking for the perfect name? Try the Name MatchMaker to find the perfect baby name for you!
NameVoyager
US Popularity of Jonathan Over Time

Sister & Brother Names
Know a Jonathan? What are his siblings named?
Name Lists Featuring Jonathan
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark 2014
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden 2014
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales) 2014
- German Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Germany 2014
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales), 2010
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (Victoria), 2010
- Austrian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Austria, 2010
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark, 2010
- Norwegian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Norway, 2010
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden, 2010
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec), 2010
- Test Names
- Canadian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Canada (Quebec) for 2012
- Chilean Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Chile 2010
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales) for 2012
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden for 2012
- Norwegian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Norway for 2012
- Austrian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Austria 2012
- German Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Germany
- Danish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Denmark
- Irish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in the Republic of Ireland
- Swedish Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Sweden
- Norwegian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Norway
- Australian Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Australia (New South Wales)
- Swiss Boys Names: Most Popular Names for Boys in Switzerland
Contribute your knowledge to the name Jonathan
- Comments and insights on the name Jonathan
Could go well with David, as David and Jonathan were best friends in the bible.
- Personal experiences with the name Jonathan
My son Jonathan Dylan can be nick named JD, was named to honor my recently deceased father John and also to pay respect to my partners fathers love of Bob Dylan. We have taken fondly to calling our son JD. His uncle is David and like it says above, uncle David loves Jonathan :)
My grandson Jonathan is named for his father John David; Jonathan's older brother David is named for their grandfather David as well as for their father's middle name: thus David and Jonathan, as suggested above
My son's name is Jonathan Davis, nickname JD.
My son's name is Jonathan. He fits his name perfectly. It is the name of a true friend, and he is a friend to all.
My son's name is Jonatan. This spelling is common in some Spanish speaking countries. Of course, a related name would be Juan.
My oldest son is David Isaac and my youngest is Jonathan Aaron...hoping that they'll have a friendship like that of David and Jonathan in the Bible.
My father is Jonathan, named for his great-grandfather John and his grandfather Nathan. My middle son is named Jonathan for my Dad. We never shorten it or use nicknames.
My name is Jonathan. I really wish there were no spelling variants of this name, because it only adds to the confusion between my name and John, which are not the same. I like my name, go by Jonathan, but find I always have to spell it for people, who inevitably put an H after the J-0. People also ask if I prefer John or Jonathan, which is irritating because my name isn't John. But I still like it. I was born in 1969 so it was more unusual then. My brother born the year before may have been one of the first boys to be named Jared, ever. I like that my parents gave us interesting names back then. The alliterative naming tradition comes from my Dad's side. My cousins are Morgan, Mervin and Melissa!
- Nicknames for Jonathan
Jon
Jono
Jonny
Jon-Jon
Jack
Nate
Jack Jack
Jackie
Jon Jon
JD
Jo
Joe
Nathan
Nat
Than- Meanings and history of the name Jonathan
Jonathan is the Anglicized version of the Hebrew name "Yonatan." "Yo" is a shortened form of the name of God, and "natan" is Hebrew for "to give" so the name means "God has given" or "God's gift."
Jonathan is the name of several characters in the Bible, most notably King Saul's son, who was a devoted friend of the young David. The name Jonathan is often taken as symbolic of steadfast friendship and loyalty. Jonathan was taken up by English speakers as early as the 13th century, but was a rare name until the Puritans began to use it in the 17th century. In colonial New England Jonathan was such a common name around Boston in 1776 that the British called all American Revolutionary soldiers "Brother Jonathan". This nickname had the effect of causing Jonathan to go out of fashion, both in the U.S. and Britain, though it remained in quiet use. It was rediscovered in the 1940s as parents looked for an alternative to John, making the name popular again. (Although similar in sound, Jonathan and John are completely separate names, yet inevitable confusion of the two has produced Johnathan as a variant.) Jonathan entered the SSA top 100 in 1962, peaked at 15 in 1988, and continues to be in the U.S. top 25 names for baby boys.
- Famous real-life people named Jonathan
Jonathan Good, WWE wrestler (Dean Ambrose)
Jonathan Frederick Togo, August 25, 1977 (age 39) actor CSI Miami, identical
Jonathan Lulich (Born 1984) Internet Entrepreneur, Web Developer & Music Producer http://lulich.info
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), Anglo-Irish clergyman and writer (Gulliver's Travels)
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), one of the greatest American theologians
Jonathan Trumbull, 18th c. governor of Connecticut and adviser to General Washington
Jonathan Pryce, British actor
Jonathan Demme, filmmaker
Jonathan Richman, musician
Jon Bon Jovi, musician
Jon Stewart, comedian, and host of The Daily Show
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Actor
Jon Gosselin, reality TV star
Jonathan Papelbon, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
Jon Lester, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
Jonathan Sacconejoly, Youtube Personality
Jonathan Quick, professional ice hockey goalie (Los Angeles Kings)
Jonathan Toews, professional ice hockey player (Chicago Blackhawks)- Jonathan in song, story & screen
Jonathan Lulich, Multiple Albums, (2008 - 2010) http://djsmooth.us
Jonathan Bower, character on the '80s sitcom "Who's the Boss?"
Jonathan Wild, central figure of Henry Fielding novel by that name (1743)
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, book written by Richard Bach in 1973
Jonathan Kent, Clark's father, in the Superman comic book
Jonathan from MPGiS
Jonathan Turner, unconventional English teacher on the ABC TGIF TV show "Boy Meets World"
Jonathan Archer, Captain on the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise