Jonathan
Boy name · #89 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Jonathan? In official American birth records, Jonathan has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Jonathan ranks #89 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 3,822 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #48, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 471 boys born in 2025 was named Jonathan.
The 145-year story
Jonathan first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 18 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1988, when 24,349 boys were named Jonathan — good for #15 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Jonathan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jonathan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jonathan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Jonathan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Jonathan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jonathan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Jonathan is most common in AK (4.8 per 1,000), CT (4 per 1,000), RI (3.8 per 1,000), DE (3.7 per 1,000), MD (3.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Jonathan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Jonathan
Jonathan carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Jonathan family went to about 4,784 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #66, versus #89 for Jonathan alone.
Names like Jonathan
Statistically, parents drawn to Jonathan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nathan, Jordan, Ryan, Joshua, and Aaron.
NathanJordanRyanJoshuaAaronJustinAndrewNicholas
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jonathan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,822 | #89 |
| 2024 | 4,028 | #83 |
| 2023 | 4,094 | #82 |
| 2022 | 4,220 | #79 |
| 2021 | 4,465 | #77 |
| 2020 | 4,757 | #70 |
| 2019 | 5,470 | #64 |
| 2018 | 5,779 | #63 |
| 2017 | 6,534 | #55 |
| 2016 | 6,982 | #56 |
| 2015 | 7,660 | #48 |
| 2014 | 8,120 | #44 |
| 2013 | 8,577 | #40 |
| 2012 | 9,372 | #34 |
| 2011 | 10,254 | #31 |
| 2010 | 11,140 | #28 |
| 2009 | 11,386 | #29 |
| 2008 | 12,905 | #26 |
| 2007 | 13,809 | #23 |
| 2006 | 14,387 | #22 |
| 2005 | 14,443 | #19 |
| 2004 | 14,375 | #21 |
| 2003 | 14,994 | #22 |
| 2002 | 15,514 | #21 |
| 2001 | 16,147 | #23 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Jonathan?
In official American birth records, the name Jonathan first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 18 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Jonathan a popular boy name?
Jonathan ranked #89 among boys in 2025 with 3,822 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #48.
When was the name Jonathan most popular?
Jonathan peaked in 1988, when 24,349 American boys received the name (ranked #15 that year). Since 1988 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jonathan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 471 newborn American boys was named Jonathan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.