Gideon

Gideon - A very unique male name

Gideon appeared on the charts for the first time in 1916 on position #1157. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Gideon and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Gideon? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Gideon. The baby boy name Gideon was given to 959 baby boys in 2025, ranking #338 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,529 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Gideon peaked in popularity 9 years ago in 2017 on position 302.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Gideon, 1-5?

Gideon is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Gideon is currently topping the baby name charts in Alaska at position #121 - and is the least popular in California at position #738.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Gideon is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Gideon origin and meaning

Hebrew, biblical

'Feller, one who cuts down' — from the Hebrew root gada, 'to cut'

Gideon is the Hebrew name of the judge in the Book of Judges who defeats the Midianites, from a root meaning to cut or fell. Long rare in the US, it appears from 1916 and grew with other Old Testament revivals. It peaked in 2017 and has eased down since.

Attested etymology

Gideon is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Gideon, pop culture references for the name Gideon and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Gideon

We've found the following names that sound similar to Gideon, sorted by popularity.

Gaetano / Gaston / Gautam / Gautham / Gotham / Godwin /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Gideon

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Gideon a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Gideon?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

GID-ee-un · /ˈɡɪdiən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Gedeon — The form used in some Bible translations

Nicknames: Gid

Famous bearers

• Gideon (biblical) — Judge of Israel in the Book of Judges (Biblical) Historical

Style

Biblical

Why parents choose it

Gideon is a strong, distinctive Old Testament choice that still sits well outside the top 300.

Worth knowing

• The Gideons Bible in hotel rooms is a common first association, and Gid is an unlovely short form to head off.