Meaning: Its source is Yehonatan, a Hebrew name meaning "Gift of God."
Languages: This boy's name is used in English.
Variant Forms: Jonathyn
Non-English Forms: Jonatan
Source Forms: Yehonatan
Popularity: The name Jonathan ranked 21st in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics, 55th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census and 22nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1994 US Census.
This name is highly rated both on the 1990 U.S. Census list and in state data recording the most popular baby names.
Narrative: In the Jewish scriptures, Jonathan was a young man caught between loyalty to his friend and the duty he owed his father. His friend was David, slayer of Goliath. His father, King Saul, was increasingly jealous of David's popularity with the Jewish people.
Jonathan chose friendship. When he learned that Saul planned to have David killed, he risked his own safety to warn him. Yet he did not forsake his father. In fact, he died fighting beside Saul in a terrible battle.
Jonathan and David's friendship (like that of the Greek-Syracusan friends Damon and Pythias) has come down through the ages as a symbol of brotherly devotion.
Arts and Music
- Jonathan Davis
- Q-Tip (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
Leadership
- Jonathan Myrick Daniels
- Killed in civil rights movement August 20, 1965 (see list of Names on the Civil Rights Memorial)
- Jonathan Dayton
U.S. Representative from New Jersey.
- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1795-97 (see list of Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives)
- Jonathan Edwards (born 1703, died 1758)
American Congregationalist clergyman and theologian.
- Led a revival that spread throughout the country; some converts committed suicide (see list of Religious Leaders)
- Jonathan Trumbull
U.S. Representative from Connecticut.
- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1791-93 (see list of Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives)
Miscellaneous
- Jonathan
Son of King Saul and an officer in his army; great friend of King David.
- Appears in 1 Samuel (see list of Biblical Names from the Old Testament)
Sports
- Jonathan Ogden
American football player.
- 1995 Outland Trophy winner (see list of Outland Trophy Winners)
- Jonathan Sieben
Australian athlete.
- 1984 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 200m butterfly (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Swimming Events)
Stage and Screen
- Jonathan Demme (born 1944)
American actor, writer, director and producer.
- 1991 Academy Award winner for The Silence of the Lambs (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Director)
- Jonathan Frakes (born 1952)
American actor and director.
- Portrayed Cmdr. William Riker (see list of Actors on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'')
- Jonathan Garvey
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Merlin Olsen (see list of Characters on ''Little House on the Prairie'')
- Jonathan Gilbert
- Portrayed Willie Oleson from 1975-83 (see list of Actors on ''Little House on the Prairie'')
- Jonathan Jackson (born 1982)
American actor.
- Actor on soap opera ''''General Hospital'''' (see list of Performers on ''General Hospital'')
- Jonathan Pryce (born 1947)
British actor.
- 1991 Tony Award winner for his performance in Miss Saigon (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actor in a Musical)
- Winner of the 1995 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award, for Carrington (see list of Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Winners)
- Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (born 1977)
British actor
- Starred in The Governess, Velvet Goldmine (see list of see Hollywood Freshmen)
- Jonathan Rollins
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Blair Underwood (see list of Characters on ''L.A. Law'')
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas (born 1981)
American actor.
- Portrays Randy Taylor (see list of Actors on ''Home Improvement'')
- Jonathan Winters (born 1925)
American comedian and actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Jonathan Freedman
- 1987 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- Jonathan Kozol (born 1936)
American writer and educator.
- 1968 National Book Award winner for Nonfiction, for Death at an Early Age (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Nonfiction)
- Jonathan Larson
American playwright.
- 1996 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for Rent (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- Jonathan Swift (born 1667, died 1745)
Irish satirist, poet and clergyman.
- Wrote Gulliver''s Travels (see list of Writers of the Restoration and 18th Century)
- Jonathan Weiner
American writer.
- 1995 Pulitzer Prize winner for General Nonfiction, for The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction)
- Jonathan Yardley
- 1981 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Hoppin' Jon
- Johnboy
- Jon Juan
- Jon, Jon, Leprechaun, Went to school with nothing on
- Jonabrat
- VaJonny
- "What do you mean Barq's has bite? Jonny?"
- Jono
- Jonafat
Name: Jonathan
List:
- Jonathan on Google
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