Jonathan is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "gift from God". It is composed of two elements: "Yah", which is an abbreviated form of the Hebrew name for God, and "natan", which means "gift".
The name Jonathan first appears in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Samuel. Jonathan was the son of King Saul, who befriended David despite knowing that David had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to become the next king. Their friendship is often cited as one of the greatest examples of loyalty and selflessness in biblical literature.
Over time, the name Jonathan has been adopted by various cultures around the world. In English-speaking countries, it became popular during the Victorian era. Today, Jonathan remains a classic yet timeless choice for parents looking to give their child a strong and meaningful name.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe a trend in the births of babies named Jonathan in the United States from 1976 to 1989.
In 1976 and 1978, there were 5 births each year with the name Jonathan. This indicates that during these years, the name was not extremely popular but still had a consistent presence among newborns.
However, starting from 1986, we see an increase in the number of babies named Jonathan. In 1986, there were 7 births, followed by 9 in 1987 and another 9 in 1989. The peak was reached in 1988 with 12 births, which is more than double the number recorded in 1976 and 1978.
Over this 14-year period (from 1976 to 1989), there were a total of 47 babies named Jonathan born in the United States. This shows that while the name may not have been exceptionally common, it was still used consistently throughout these years.