Jordan
Jordan was the 131st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,732 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 26th; the most babies were born in 1990 (16,137). Over the last ten years it has moved down 72 places. More babies were named Jordan in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning the Jordan River (perhaps 'flowing down') · Hebrew
Say it JOR-duhn /ˈdʒɔrdən/
- Rank in 2025
- #131 boys, down 49 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,732boys
- Girls and boys
- 15% girls, 85% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 199016,137 babies
- Total since 1880
- 536,795babies recorded
What does the name Jordan mean?
Jordan is the name of the river in which, according to the Gospels, John the Baptist baptized Jesus. The Hebrew Yarden is of uncertain origin; DMNES mentions a possible root meaning 'to descend, flow down'. Wikipedia notes that crusaders and pilgrims brought back Jordan water to baptize their children, and DMNES finds Jordan as a man's name in England from 1155. It faded after the Middle Ages and returned in the 20th century as a name for both boys and girls.
יַרְדֵּן (Biblical Hebrew, “Yarden, the Jordan River”)ירד (Hebrew, “to descend, flow down (possible root)”)
How sure is this? Probable. The name clearly comes from the river; the meaning of the river's own name is uncertain ('descend' is only a possibility).
Related names: Jordyn, Jorden, Jordana, Yarden, Jordi.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean water, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Jordan', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Jordan', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Jordan (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Jordan
The usual nicknames for Jordan are Jordy. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Jordan in the last five years, 5 were named Jordy, against 2 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordy | Modern | #1,261 | 914 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Jordans go by each one.
Jordan popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #584 | #131 | 503 | 2,732 |
| 2020 | #437 | #82 | 703 | 4,287 |
| 2010 | #178 | #46 | 1,728 | 8,253 |
| 2000 | #50 | #36 | 5,809 | 12,168 |
| 1990 | #59 | #29 | 5,957 | 16,137 |
| 1980 | #517 | #160 | 372 | 1,619 |
| 1970 | #5,575 | #486 | 9 | 280 |
| 1960 | #5,987 | #670 | 6 | 137 |
| 1950 | #4,512 | #823 | 7 | 69 |
| 1940 | — | #832 | — | 57 |
| 1930 | — | #706 | — | 78 |
| 1920 | — | #764 | — | 75 |
| 1910 | — | #901 | — | 13 |
| 1900 | — | #819 | — | 11 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | #359 | — | 23 |
How popular is Jordan, counting every spelling?
Jordan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #129 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #131 for Jordan on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,865 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan | 2,732 | #131 | 17,668 |
| Jordyn | 63 | #2,242 | 473 |
| Jorden | 28 | #3,893 | 232 |
| Jordon | 26 | #4,084 | 184 |
| Jordin | 16 | #5,713 | 121 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Jordan?
2,732 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Jordan (0.76 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Jordan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 3 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Jordan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Jordan?
About 386,600 people born in the US named Jordan are alive today, with a median age of 27; half are between 18 and 34. That makes Jordan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Jordan by state
How common Jordan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Delaware (2.1×), Rhode Island (1.6×), New Mexico (1.6×), Mississippi (1.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Jordan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Jordan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Jordan · Sibling names for Jordan
Questions about the name Jordan
What does Jordan mean?
Jordan means “the Jordan River (perhaps 'flowing down')” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Jordan?
Jordan was the 131st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 2,732 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 26th; the most babies were born in 1990 (16,137). Over the last ten years it has moved down 72 places. More babies were named Jordan in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Jordan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 15% girls, 85% boys given the name Jordan in the US.
Where is Jordan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Jordan was most common in Delaware (4.29 per 1,000 boys), followed by Rhode Island and New Mexico.