Jonathan
Say it: JON-a-than/ˈd͡ʒɒnəθən/
BoyMeans god has given8 letters3 syllables
#223
in Ireland (2025)
#220 with spellings combined
21
babies in 2025
#18
best rank (1981)
8,554
babies since 1964
Down 80
10-year rank change
Jonathan through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | #220 |
| 2024 | 26 | #185 |
| 2023 | 24 | #201 |
| 2022 | 27 | #189 |
| 2021 | 25 | #203 |
| 2020 | 40 | #145 |
| 2019 | 34 | #168 |
| 2018 | 31 | #181 |
| 2017 | 35 | #169 |
| 2016 | 35 | #168 |
| 2015 | 45 | #140 |
| 2014 | 46 | #144 |
| 2013 | 47 | #135 |
| 2012 | 52 | #135 |
| 2011 | 51 | #137 |
| 2010 | 63 | #114 |
| 2009 | 65 | #117 |
| 2008 | 61 | #122 |
| 2007 | 67 | #106 |
| 2006 | 58 | #109 |
| 2005 | 70 | #90 |
| 2004 | 61 | #97 |
| 2003 | 64 | #90 |
| 2002 | 66 | #82 |
| 2001 | 66 | #86 |
| 2000 | 77 | #73 |
| 1999 | 57 | #87 |
| 1998 | 51 | #86 |
| 1997 | 118 | #63 |
| 1996 | 154 | #54 |
| 1995 | 184 | #41 |
| 1994 | 180 | #43 |
| 1993 | 206 | #41 |
| 1992 | 204 | #38 |
| 1991 | 236 | #36 |
| 1990 | 237 | #33 |
| 1989 | 278 | #31 |
| 1988 | 282 | #32 |
| 1987 | 303 | #33 |
| 1986 | 308 | #35 |
| 1985 | 328 | #33 |
| 1984 | 366 | #26 |
| 1983 | 395 | #25 |
| 1982 | 475 | #18 |
| 1981 | 476 | #18 |
| 1980 | 401 | #23 |
| 1979 | 290 | #32 |
| 1978 | 277 | #33 |
| 1977 | 222 | #48 |
| 1976 | 235 | #42 |
| 1975 | 188 | #55 |
| 1974 | 193 | #51 |
| 1973 | 158 | #58 |
| 1972 | 126 | #64 |
| 1971 | 107 | #67 |
| 1970 | 82 | #78 |
| 1969 | 52 | #95 |
| 1968 | 39 | #98 |
| 1967 | 24 | #114 |
| 1966 | 34 | #103 |
| 1965 | 14 | #137 |
| 1964 | 17 | #125 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Jonathan mean?
God has given
Hebrew, from Yehonatan (God has given).
Say it right
JONathan
The story of Jonathan
Jonathan comes from the Hebrew Yehonatan, often shortened to Yonatan, meaning “God has given”. In the Bible, Jonathan is the son of King Saul and the close friend of David. Their friendship, kept up even while Saul turned against David, is one of the best-known in the Old Testament.
The name is the source of the pet forms Jon and Jonny, and Nathan is sometimes used as a short form too, though Nathan is also a separate biblical name.
In Ireland, Jonathan was less common in the 1960s but rose quickly in the 1970s. Its best year was 1981, when 476 boys were named Jonathan and it reached number 18. It has fallen gradually since, to 21 boys in 2025. The CSO counts the spelling Jonathon separately. In Northern Ireland it was number 20 in 1998.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Jonathan (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Jonathan (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
JonJonny
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan | 21 | 8,554 |
In Northern Ireland
#314 in 2025 with 5 babies. Best rank #20 (1998); 1,191 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.