UK name, mostly boys
Jordan
A unisex name of Semitic origin meaning "flowing down".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jordan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Jordan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #213, with 233 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 5,750 births.
This profile covers 36,750 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 4% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 45,786 living people in the UK are called Jordan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jordan ranked #213 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 233 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 5,750 boys were registered as Jordan.
- • Jordan ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 1998.
- • About 45,786 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jordan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 90.2% of Jordan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#213
2024
Births in 2024
233
Latest year
Peak year
1996
5,750 births
Estimated living
45,786
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Jordan
In England and Wales birth records, Jordan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 90.2% of registrations are for boys and 9.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Jordan registered for boys
- Ranked #213 in 2024
- 233 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (5,750 births)
Jordan registered for girls
- Ranked #2,574 in 2024
- 10 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 1998 (774 births)
Meaning
What does Jordan mean?
The name Jordan has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and is derived from the word "yarad," meaning "to descend" or "to flow down." It is believed to have originated as a reference to the Jordan River, one of the most significant water sources in the Middle East.
The Jordan River holds great historical and religious significance, as it is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, playing a crucial role in the narratives of the Old and New Testaments. The river is closely associated with the life and ministry of John the Baptist, who baptized people, including Jesus Christ, in its waters.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Jordan can be found in the Book of Genesis, where it is mentioned as the river that the Israelites crossed on their journey to the Promised Land. In the second century AD, the name Jordan appears in the works of Ptolemy, a renowned Greek astronomer and geographer.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Jordan. One of the most famous was Jordan of Saxony (1191-1237), a Dominican friar and medieval philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of natural science and logic.
Another notable Jordan was Jordan of Giano (c. 1290-1360), an Italian physician and philosopher who wrote extensively on various subjects, including mathematics, astronomy, and medicine.
In the 16th century, Jordan Nemore (c. 1500-1559) was a German mathematician and astronomer known for his work on planetary theory and his criticism of the Copernican heliocentric model.
During the 17th century, Jordan Statius (1567-1654), a Dutch jurist and diplomat, played an important role in the establishment of the Dutch East India Company and the colonization of parts of Southeast Asia.
In more recent times, Jordan Lewis (1865-1945) was an African-American educator and civil rights activist who fought for equal rights and educational opportunities for Black Americans in the early 20th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jordan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Jordan in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jordan, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 233 births in 2024, compared with 5,750 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jordan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jordan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #207 | 1,218 | 5 |
| 2010s | #209 | 2,573 | 10 |
| 2000s | #91 | 12,181 | 10 |
| 1990s | #12 | 20,778 | 4 |
Geography
Where Jordan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Jordan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Jordan ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 1998.
Across the UK
Jordan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#169 in 2024
48 years of NRS records, 8,036 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#404 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 1,531 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Jordan
-
Jordan Zemura
association football player
Zimbabwean footballer
1999-
-
Jordan Williams
association football player
English association football player (born 1999)
1999-
-
Jordan Young
association football player
English association football player (born 1999)
1999-
-
Jordan Williams
rugby league player
English rugby league footballer
1997-
-
Jordan Thorniley
association football player
English association football player
1996-
-
Jordan Williams
basketball player
British basketball player
1995-
-
Jordan Willis
association football player
English association football player (born 1994)
1994-
-
Jordan Turnbull
association football player
Footballer (born 1994)
1994-
Related
Names similar to Jordan
- Jack 188,738
- Joshua 145,192
- James 141,878
- Joseph 102,259
- Jacob 93,754
- Jake 66,896
- Jamie 41,243
- Jayden 28,921
- Jude 24,156
- John 22,240
- Joe 19,164
- Joel 19,004
FAQ
Jordan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jordan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Jordan was ranked #213 for boys in England and Wales, with 233 births registered.
When was Jordan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 5,750 babies registered as Jordan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jordan?
A unisex name of Semitic origin meaning "flowing down".
How many people are called Jordan in the UK?
A total of 36,750 babies have been registered as Jordan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 8,036 more in Scotland and 1,531 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Jordan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Jordan ranks best in North East, where it placed #1 in 1998. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.