Johnathan
Boy name · #508 in 2025 · Rare
Johnathan ranks #508 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 594 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #308, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,030 boys born in 2025 was named Johnathan.
The 144-year story
Johnathan first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 3,245 boys were named Johnathan — good for #108 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 Johnathan per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Johnathan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Johnathan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Johnathan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Johnathan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Johnathan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Johnathan is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Johnathan is most common in SC (0.8 per 1,000), AL (0.8 per 1,000), CT (0.8 per 1,000), OR (0.7 per 1,000), KY (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Johnathan is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Johnathan
Statistically, parents drawn to Johnathan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Morgan, Stephan, Jonathon, Zachariah, and Stefan.
MorganStephanJonathonZachariahStefanSeanJordanJulio
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Johnathan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 594 | #508 |
| 2024 | 595 | #512 |
| 2023 | 653 | #467 |
| 2022 | 598 | #503 |
| 2021 | 702 | #440 |
| 2020 | 713 | #418 |
| 2019 | 815 | #384 |
| 2018 | 834 | #385 |
| 2017 | 947 | #353 |
| 2016 | 1,028 | #340 |
| 2015 | 1,161 | #308 |
| 2014 | 1,201 | #295 |
| 2013 | 1,252 | #278 |
| 2012 | 1,414 | #258 |
| 2011 | 1,501 | #239 |
| 2010 | 1,651 | #216 |
| 2009 | 1,843 | #205 |
| 2008 | 1,963 | #200 |
| 2007 | 2,152 | #187 |
| 2006 | 2,307 | #177 |
| 2005 | 2,242 | #182 |
| 2004 | 2,178 | #183 |
| 2003 | 2,196 | #178 |
| 2002 | 2,264 | #171 |
| 2001 | 2,306 | #166 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Johnathan a popular boy name?
Johnathan ranked #508 among boys in 2025 with 594 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #308.
When was the name Johnathan most popular?
Johnathan peaked in 1990, when 3,245 American boys received the name (ranked #108 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Johnathan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,030 newborn American boys was named Johnathan. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.