Jonathan

יוֹנָתָן

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Biblical English
• Meaning: God has given

• Jonathan was the son of King Saul and the devoted best friend of David, and their bond is one of the most celebrated friendships in all of scripture. Jonathan famously chose loyalty to David over his own claim to the throne, a selfless act that has made his name synonymous with devotion and true friendship. It means "God has given," and the story behind it suggests the greatest gift might be the people who stand by us.

  National Jewish Book Award-winning novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, whose works like 'Everything Is Illuminated' have become touchstones of contemporary Jewish literature, shares this beloved biblical name. Anne Hathaway and her Jewish husband Adam Shulman chose Jonathan for their first son, and the name has been a quiet staple on Jewish birth announcements for decades. Its built-in nicknames — Jon, Jonny, Nate — give it flexibility, while the full form has a gravitas that ages beautifully. It is the kind of name that works equally well for a kindergartner and a keynote speaker, with enough biblical substance to anchor a lifetime.

• Alternate Spellings: Johnathan
• Hebrew Equivalent:
  Yonatan
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Rachel
  ,
  Hannah
  ,
  Benjamin
  ,
  David
• Theme: God