| Gideon | Solomon | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | hewer, feller | Peace |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | GID-ee-un | SOL-uh-mun |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (1,161) | 2016 (907) |
| In 2025 | 993 | 767 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Gideon | Solomon |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,236 | 4,446 |
| 2010s | 9,221 | 7,598 |
| 2000s | 3,460 | 5,631 |
| 1990s | 1,089 | 3,383 |
| 1980s | 704 | 2,406 |
| 1970s | 402 | 1,839 |
| 1960s | 207 | 1,281 |
| 1950s | 160 | 1,583 |
| 1940s | 120 | 1,499 |
| 1930s | 115 | 1,487 |
| 1920s | 226 | 2,766 |
| 1910s | 185 | 2,680 |
| 1900s | 40 | 569 |
| 1890s | 24 | 415 |
| 1880s | 81 | 486 |
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.
From the Hebrew Shelomo, from shalom, “peace.” Solomon is the wise king of Israel.
Gideon is more popular than Solomon today: about 993 US babies were given the name Gideon in 2025, compared with 767 named Solomon.
Gideon means hewer, feller (hebrew origin), while Solomon means Peace (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Gideon first appears in 1880 and Solomon in 1880, so Gideon has the longer recorded history.