Jonathan

Hebrew
"gift of Jehovah"

Jonathan Origin and Meaning

The name Jonathan is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of Jehovah".

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.

# 82 in the US

Jonathan Rank in US Top 1000

# 385 on Nameberry

Jonathan Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Jonathan Popularity

Famous People Named Jonathan

  • 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"