Name
Jordan
Meaning
Jordan is a unisex name of Hebrew origin meaning “to flow down”.
Jordan names the river where John baptized Jesus, and the Hebrew Yarden comes from a verb meaning to descend or flow down. Crusaders brought water from the river home for baptisms, planting the name in medieval Europe, and basketball legend Michael Jordan powered its modern American peak.
A US top-100 name for boys through the 1990s and 2000s, with heavy use for girls as well.
Popularity in the United States
Girls
Ranked #584 in 2025 · peak #40 in 1997
Boys
Ranked #131 in 2025 · peak #26 in 1997
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
Advertisement
Questions
Jordan is a unisex name of Hebrew origin meaning “to flow down”. Jordan names the river where John baptized Jesus, and the Hebrew Yarden comes from a verb meaning to descend or flow down.
Jordan is a unisex name, used for both boys and girls. It is a US top-100 name for boys through the 1990s and 2000s, with heavy use for girls as well.
The name Jordan comes from Hebrew. Jordan names the river where John baptized Jesus, and the Hebrew Yarden comes from a verb meaning to descend or flow down. Crusaders brought water from the river home for baptisms, planting the name in medieval Europe, and basketball legend Michael Jordan powered its modern American peak.
Jordan is pronounced JOR-dan.
More names that mean water
Names that share this meaning.