| Gideon | Amos | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | hewer, feller | Carried by God |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | GID-ee-un | AY-mus |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (1,161) | 1922 (558) |
| In 2025 | 993 | 364 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Gideon | Amos |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,236 | 2,463 |
| 2010s | 9,221 | 3,243 |
| 2000s | 3,460 | 1,788 |
| 1990s | 1,089 | 1,749 |
| 1980s | 704 | 2,321 |
| 1970s | 402 | 2,155 |
| 1960s | 207 | 2,086 |
| 1950s | 160 | 2,810 |
| 1940s | 120 | 2,767 |
| 1930s | 115 | 3,343 |
| 1920s | 226 | 4,891 |
| 1910s | 185 | 3,674 |
| 1900s | 40 | 1,062 |
| 1890s | 24 | 1,023 |
| 1880s | 81 | 1,161 |
From the Hebrew verb gada, 'to hew down, cut off,' hence 'hewer' or 'feller' — fitting the judge who cut down Baal's altar (Judges 6). The common 'mighty warrior' gloss is a secondary association from his role, not the meaning of the root; because no noun is formed from the verb, the exact nuance stays somewhat uncertain.
Amos means “carried” or “borne by God.” Amos is a prophet.
Gideon is more popular than Amos today: about 993 US babies were given the name Gideon in 2025, compared with 364 named Amos.
Gideon means hewer, feller (hebrew origin), while Amos means Carried by God (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Gideon first appears in 1880 and Amos in 1880, so Gideon has the longer recorded history.