Jonathan Swift
Anglo-Irish satirist; author of Gulliver's Travels
Boy Old Testament Rare
Jonathan
given of God
יוֹנָתָן yo.na.tan
Jonathan (Hebrew: יְהוֹנָתָן, ye.ho.na.tan) means “given of God”, by traditional interpretation. Fourteen men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In 2025 it was given to 3,827 children in the United States, ranking 89. Use is falling away. Around 874,440 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Abiathar in 2 Samuel 15.
Merged person graphTIPNR + BibleData
Which Jonathan?
Fourteen men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Jonathan
son of King; son of King Saul
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Jonathan
son of Abiathar
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
son of Kareah
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Jonathan
son of Shammah
Show all 14 bearers
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
son of Uzziah
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
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Jonathan
son of Jada
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Jonathan
TIPNR + BibleDataSSA · public domain
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
Concordance Depth Index
93.1 · rank 65
US usage today
rank 89 · 3,827 births in 2025
TIPNR + BibleDataSTEPBible · CC BY
At a glance
- Verses
- 107 across 8 books
- Bearers
- 14 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
SSA · public domainibge_censoine_es_edad_mediaIRN PT
The same name elsewhere
| Country | Form | Standing | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Jonathan | rank 89 · 3,827 in 2025 | Births in year |
| Brazil | JONATAS | 61,116 bearers · born 1930–2010 | Living residents |
| Spain | JONATAN | 19,371 bearers · mean age 36.3 | Living residents |
| Portugal | Jónatas | permitted | IRN approved list |
Two different questions are shown here. Rows marked births in year count children registered during a period; rows marked living residents count people of every age alive at a census. They answer different questions and are never added together.
SSA · public domainBirths in year
Using it today
Very unlikely to share a classroom with another.
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 3,827 | Falling |
| All-time total | 874,440 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 24,513 in 1988 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | CA | Highest share relative to births |
Merged person graph107 verse pairs
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Judges 18:30 |
| Last appears | Jeremiah 40:8 |
| Cross-references | 1,307 linked passages |
Computed · A2/A3Rationale generated
Names connected to this one
- Jether attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Jada.
- Johanan attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Kareah.
- Ahimelech attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abiathar.
- Saul co-occurrence Appears with Saul in 1 Samuel 14.
- Ishvi co-occurrence Appears with Ishvi in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Abinadab co-occurrence Appears with Abinadab in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Malchi-shua co-occurrence Appears with Malchi-shua in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Mephibosheth co-occurrence Appears with Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4.
Origin & meaning
Strong's number
H3129G
Hebrew
יוֹנָתָן
Transliteration
yo.na.tan
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.32;
son of: Jada (H3047);
brother of: Jether (H3500I);
father of: Peleth (H6431H) and Zaza (H2117)
§ Jonathan or Jehonathan = "Jehovah has given"
1) a son of king Saul and a friend of David
2) a son of the high priest Abiathar and the last descendant of Eli of whom we hear
3) one of David's mighty warriors
4) a Levite and father of Zechariah, a priest who blew the trumpet at the dedication of the wall
5) a son of Kareah and a brother of Johanan; a Judaite captain after the fall of Jerusalem
6) another Judaite
7) father of Ebed in the time of Ezra
8) son of Asahel in the time of Ezra
9) a priest of the family of Melicu in the time of Nehemiah
10) son of Joiada and his successor to the high priesthood in the time of Nehemiah
One of the descendants of Judah, Jonathan was the son of Jada.
The biblical story
Jonathan was a descendant of Judah, the son of Jada and brother of Jether. He is mentioned in the genealogies of Judah recorded in 1Ch.2.32-33. No other details are provided about his life. His mention helps trace Judah's descendants down to the time period after the return from Babylonian exile when Chronicles was likely written.
Key verses
Jonathan appears in 2 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died without children.
1 Chronicles 2:32 -
And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.
1 Chronicles 2:33
Show all 2 references
1 Chronicles (2)
- 1 Chronicles 2:32
- 1 Chronicles 2:33
Name variants & nicknames
- Jon — nickname
- Jonny — nickname
- Jonatán — Spanish
- Jônatas — Portuguese
- Yonatan — Hebrew form
Notable people with this name
Jonathan Edwards
Colonial American preacher and theologian
Jonathan Ive
British industrial designer; lead designer at Apple