← All names

Jonathan

Boy name · 6,671 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Jonathan: 6,671 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 324 births in 1988.

Jonathan is a well-loved name of Hebrew origin, coming from *Yehonatan*, meaning "God has given." It appears in the Old Testament as the devoted friend of David, setting a timeless example of loyalty. The name's most famous bearer in modern times is probably Jonathan Swift, the Anglo-Irish author of *Gulliver's Travels* and a master of satire. There is a Jonathan in Minnesota, a city named not after the biblical figure but an early settler, though the powerful sentiment of "gift" still resonates. A quieter, more distinctive variant is Johnathan, which appears as a misspelling so common it has become accepted; the name Jonathan also shares a root with the shorter, punchier Nathan.