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Home › Baby Names Directory › Jordan

Jordan

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOR-dun /ˈdʒɔːr.dən/High

Meaning: To flow down or descend; from Hebrew yarden, the name of the Jordan RiverHigh

In 30 seconds: A Hebrew name meaning 'to flow down,' drawn from the Jordan River — the biblical site of Jesus's baptism. A longtime boys' name, it became one of the first major unisex crossovers for girls in the 1980s.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningTo flow down or descend; from Hebrew yarden, the name of the Jordan River
U.S. rank (2025)#584 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births503 girls (0.03% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1997
Total births (all-time)≈ 135,587

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199719502025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jordan takes its name from the Hebrew yarden (to descend, to flow down), the name of the river that flows from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. The Jordan River held profound significance as the site of John the Baptist's ministry and of Jesus's baptism. The name entered European use through Crusaders and Christian pilgrimage.

Jordan rose strongly for boys in the U.S. from the 1970s through the 1990s — boosted enormously by basketball star Michael Jordan in the 1980s–90s. Simultaneously, it crossed into girls' use, becoming one of the clearest unisex crossovers of the era. It ranked for girls across decades and sits at #539 in 2024 female data.

Did you know? Crusaders returning from the Holy Land in the medieval period brought back water from the Jordan River and used it to baptize their children, naming them Jordan — which is why the name appeared across Europe long before it was common in English.
Overall data confidence 94%
Behind the Name — Jordan — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JordynJordonJordanne

Nicknames

JordieJJ

Famous Bearers

  • ★Michael Jordan (1963–present)
    American professional basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, six-time champion with the Chicago Bulls.

If you like Jordan…

Morgan— Welsh unisex name that made the same boy-to-girl transition
Taylor— occupational surname name similarly used for both sexes since the 1980s
Quinn— crisp one-syllable Celtic name used for both sexes
Susan— the same classic feel
Jean— shares the -an ending

Explore names like Jordan

By themehebrewunisexclassicbiblicalriver-name
By meaningSea / Water

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jordan mean?

Jordan comes from Hebrew yarden, meaning 'to flow down' — the name of the biblical Jordan River.

How do you pronounce Jordan?

It's said JOR-dun — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jordan a boy or girl name?

Jordan is a well-established unisex name, used for both boys and girls in the U.S.

How popular is Jordan?

Jordan ranked #539 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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