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Jordan (name)

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Jordan
Pronunciation/ˈdʒɔːrdən/ JOR-dən
GenderUnisex (originally a male given name)
Origin
Word/nameHebrew through Greek
Meaning"Descend" or "flow down"
Region of originIsrael
Other names
Related names
  • Jorden
  • Jourdan
  • Jourden
  • Jordin
  • Jordyn
  • Yarden

Jordan is a given name and a surname.

The form found in Western names originates from the Hebrew ירדן‎ Yarden, relating to the Jordan River in West Asia.[1] According to the New Testament of the Bible, John the Baptist baptised Jesus Christ in the Jordan,[2] and during the Crusades, crusaders and pilgrims would bring back some of the river water in containers to use in the baptism of their own children in Europe and Britain. It thus became popular as a first name.[1] Jordanes, a 6th-century Gothic historian, may have popularised the name as well.[3]

The Greek form is Ἰορδάνης (Iordanes),[2] in Arabic it is Al-Urdunn, in Latin Jordanus, in Italian Giordano, in Spanish Jordán, in Portuguese Jordão, in German Jordan, in Dutch Jordaan, in French Jourdain, in Irish Iordáin or Riordan, in Russian Йордан (Yordan), in Romanian Iordan, in Bulgarian Йордан (Yordan), in Polish Jordan, and in Catalan Jordà.

The English form of the name appears to have died out after medieval times, but started to be used again the 19th century, becoming especially popular in the U.S. and some other countries in the latter half of the 20th century.[3]

Jordan is used as either a given name or a surname. Until the late 1970s, "Jordan" was predominantly used as a male name in the United States, but later began to gain popularity as a female name as well. As of 2006, males accounted for 72.5% of people with this name in that country.[4]

Notable people and characters with the name include:

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  • Janardan Jakhar, also known as "Jordan" or "JJ", the eponymous protagonist of the film Rockstar
  • Jordan Baker, in the novel The Great Gatsby
  • Jordan Black, the daughter of main character Frank Black in the American TV series Millennium
  • Jordan Cavanaugh, on the television show Crossing Jordan
  • Jordan Catalano, portrayed by Jared Leto in the American TV series My So-Called Life
  • Jordan Chase, motivational speaker from the TV series Dexter
  • Jordan Collier, one of the central figures of the 4400 in the American TV series The 4400, portrayed by Billy Campbell
  • Jordan Elliot, in the novel Beach Music
  • Jordan James Lewis, from the family sitcom Just Jordan, portrayed by Lil' JJ
  • Jordan Sullivan, played by Christa Miller on the television show Scrubs
  • Jordan "Jordie" Rietveld, minor character in the The Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo. Portrayed by Tommy Rodger in the Shadow and Bone TV series.
  • Deanna and Amy Jordyn, minor American "reality TV" stars
  • Hal Jordan, superhero in DC Comics, better known as Green Lantern
  • Lee Jordan, in the Harry Potter franchise
  • Robert Jordan, the protagonist of the novel For Whom the Bell Tolls.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Jordan Name Meaning & Jordan Family History". Ancestry. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Iordanis Greek Name". Greek Names. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Meaning, origin and history of the name Jordan". Behind the Name. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Jordan as a first name or baby name". NamePlayground.com. 11 October 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
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