Jonathan
Boy name · #89 in 2025 · Uniqueness 47/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Jonathan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jonathan in class?
Jonathan scores 47 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Jonathan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jonathan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Jonathans were CA (541), TX (491), FL (244), NY (199), NC (147). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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 Johnathan, Nathan, Jordan, Ryan, and Joshua.
JohnathanNathanJordanRyanJoshuaAaronJustinAndrew
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
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. It scores 47/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.