Given name & surname
Jordan
“flowing down”
Jordan is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “flowing down.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “flowing down.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In Cebuano usage, Jordan developed from IORDANES. In English usage, Jordan developed from Ἰορδάνης.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Jordan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 536,795
- 401,196 boys · 135,599 girls
- Most popular year
- 1990
- 22,094 babies
- 2025
- 3,235
- #131 for boys · #584 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −27%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 85% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,732 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 131 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 27.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 16,137 in 1990. It also appeared in 503 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (320). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 452,330 as a first name in 2020; 200,984 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Jordan’s family of names
In English usage, Jordan has a diminutive in Jordy. Jordan shares a linguistic root with Giordano. In English usage, Jordan has a related form in Jordyn.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Jordan has relatives in 17 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
28 related names in 17 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 46
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Jordynvariant · English
- Judsonshort form · English
- Jordydiminutive · English
- Juddshort form · English
- Jordivariant
- Jorivariant
- Jordynnvariant
- Joryvariant
Show 38 moreShow fewer
- Jordenvariant
- Jordonvariant
- Jorievariant
- Jordinvariant
- Jordievariant
- Jordanavariant
- Jourdanvariant · English, French
- Jordannvariant · French
- Jordanevariant · French
- Jourdonvariant
- Jordellvariant
- Jourdainvariant · French
- Joreyvariant
- Jordaynvariant
- Jordainvariant
- Johrdanvariant
- Jordannevariant
- Jordannavariant
- Jorddanlikely variant
- Jordsdiminutive · English
- Jourdanovariant
- Jordeyvariant
- Jordelvariant
- Jourdaenevariant
- Jourdaenvariant
- Jourdaynvariant
- Jorryvariant
- Jorrdanvariant
- Jordennvariant
- Jourdaynevariant
- Jordaynevariant
- Jordaenevariant
- Jordaenvariant
- Jordainevariant
- Jordenavariant
- Jordankavariant
- Jardenavariant
- Joordpet form
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 26
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Jordanyequivalent
- Yardendoublet · English
- Yordanrelated form
- Giordanodoublet · English, Italian
- Giordanafeminine form · Italian
- Jordaancognate
- ירדןequivalent
- Joritaniborrowing · fj
Show 18 moreShow fewer
- ʻĪoritānaborrowing · rar
- ᔪᐊᑕᓐborrowing · Inuktitut
- जॉर्डनborrowing · Hindi
- 喬丹borrowing · Chinese
- Yardanrelated form
- Yordanafeminine form
- Jordequivalent
- Iordanequivalent
- JordánHungarian
- ΙορδάνηςGreek
- TxurdanBasque
- JordàCatalan
- ΙορδάναGreek
- ЙорданBulgarian
- IordanusLatin
- ИорданRussian
- Ἰορδάνηςroot · Ancient Greek
- Iordanesroot · Latin
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Jordan
- Jordan PetersonCanadian clinical psychologist, author, and political commentator and manosphere activist (1962-)
- Jordan HendersonEnglish association football player (born 1990)
- Jordan PickfordEnglish footballer (born 1994)
- Jordan AyewGhanaian footballerborn 1991
- Jordan PeeleAmerican actor, comedian and filmmaker (born 1979)
- Jordan BardellaFrench politician (born 1995)
- Playboi CartiAmerican rapperborn 1996
- Jordan BelfortAmerican stockbrokerborn 1962
- Jordan VeretoutFrench footballer (born 1993)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Jordan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dustin
“from the dusty area” · “a courageous warrior”
>99% boys
Israel
“he who strives with God” · “God perseveres”
96% boys · 4% girls
Jonathan
“God has given” · “a gift of God”
>99% boys
Alexzander
“helper and defender of mankind”
>99% boys
Houston
“from the city in Texas” · “from Hugh's town”
96% boys · 4% girls
Maverick
“one who is wild and free” · “an independent man; a nonconformist”
99% boys · 1% girls
Idaho
85% boys · 15% girls
Memphis
“from the city in Tennessee”
79% boys · 21% girls