Jordan

Jordan - A very unique male name

Jordan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1913 on position #765. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jordan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jordan? 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 Jordan. The baby boy name Jordan was given to 2,725 baby boys in 2025, ranking #131 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 538 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jordan peaked in popularity 29 years ago in 1997 on position 26.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jordan, 1-5?

Jordan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jordan is currently topping the baby name charts in Massachusetts at position #103 - and is the least popular in Maine at position #249.

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 Jordan is where you live.

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Jordan origin and meaning

Hebrew, Yarden, via Greek and Latin

'To flow down, descend' — the name of the River Jordan

Jordan takes its name from the river in the Bible, from a Hebrew root meaning to descend or flow down, fitting a river running to the Dead Sea. As a US boys' name it peaked in 1990 and has fallen steadily to #131 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Jordan is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Jordan

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

Jordon / Jorden / Jordyn / Jordin / Jourdan / Jordany / Jardani / Jarden /

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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 Jordan

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 Jordan 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 Jordan?

2 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.

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Pronunciation

JOR-dun · /ˈdʒɔːrdən/

Around the world

• Yarden (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form, also a modern given name

Spellings and nicknames

• Jorden — An e-spelling
• Jordon — An o-spelling
• Jordyn — A y-spelling used mainly for girls

Nicknames: Jordy

Famous bearers

• Jordan Peele — Comedian, filmmaker and Get Out director (b. 1979) Contemporary
• Jordan Peterson — Canadian psychologist and author (b. 1962) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalPlace nameInternational

Why parents choose it

Jordan is a unisex, river-and-sport name that defined the 1990s and now feels like a settled classic for boys. Parents like its strength without sharp edges.

Worth knowing

• Michael Jordan is a surname namesake — people still make the leap on hearing it
• Used for both sexes, so gender may not be assumed from the name alone