| Jonathan | Noah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Yahweh has given | Rest, comfort |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JON-ə-thən | NOH-uh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1988 (24,349) | 2024 (20,409) |
| In 2025 | 3,822 | 20,358 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Jonathan | Noah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 25,386 | 116,024 |
| 2010s | 79,888 | 183,378 |
| 2000s | 144,848 | 143,533 |
| 1990s | 197,503 | 56,269 |
| 1980s | 229,953 | 12,385 |
| 1970s | 107,926 | 5,688 |
| 1960s | 47,389 | 1,519 |
| 1950s | 25,816 | 1,456 |
| 1940s | 8,296 | 1,523 |
| 1930s | 1,663 | 1,606 |
| 1920s | 1,078 | 2,284 |
| 1910s | 660 | 1,734 |
| 1900s | 139 | 622 |
| 1890s | 129 | 686 |
| 1880s | 192 | 895 |
From Hebrew Yehonatan, combining yeho (a form of Yahweh) + natan 'to give' — 'Yahweh has given'. A 'gift of God' name framed as God's act of giving.
Noah comes from the Hebrew Noach, usually given as “rest” or “comfort.” In the Bible he built the ark and survived the great flood; the name tops the charts for boys today.
Noah is more popular than Jonathan today: about 20,358 US babies were given the name Noah in 2025, compared with 3,822 named Jonathan.
Jonathan means Yahweh has given (hebrew origin), while Noah means Rest, comfort (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Jonathan first appears in 1880 and Noah in 1880, so Jonathan has the longer recorded history.