Origin of the Name
Jordan comes from the name that is given to the river that is between the countries Jordan and Israel. In Hebrew the name is Yarden, which is derived from the word Yarad, which means descend, or flow down.
These are the waters that John the Baptist baptized Jesus, in the New Testament. Later the crusaders brought water from the river back in order to baptize their own children in the same water that Jesus had been baptized in.
It is also possible that the name was influenced by the German name Jordanes, which was the name of a famous 6th century Gothic historian.
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The name died out in the Middle Ages, but was later revived again in the 19th century. It gained more popularity around the world, in particular in America in the late 20th century.
The name is both a surname and first name. While Jordan is primarily a male name, it has become more popular as a name for girls. There are also a few female variations of the name , such as Jordyn and Jordana.
Jordan in Other Languages
Considering its origin it shouldn’t be a surprise that Jordan appears asa name in other countries. Here is Jordan in some other languages.
- Jordanes- Ancient Germanic
- Jordan and Yordan- Bulgarian
- Jordaan and Joord – Dutch
- Jourdain- French
- Yarden- Hebrew
- Giordano- Italian
- Judd- Medieval English
- Jordao- Portuguese
- Jordán- Spanish
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Countries Where Jordan is Popular
- United States of America
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Canada
- France
- England and Wales
- The Netherlands
Characteristics of People with the Name Jordan
Babies named Jordan may grow up to be competent and practical. They may also often obtain wealth and power. They may be successful in business, commercial, and other economic affairs.
They may also be able to achieve their material dreams. However, because they may tend to focus on business and economic achievement they may neglect their personal life and relationships.
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Famous People Named Jordan
Jordan Eberle– is a Canadian professional hockey player. He currently plays right wing for the New York Islanders. He has received many awards and accolades, mostly at the junior level.
Jordin Sparks– is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She won the sixth season of American Idol at the age of 17, and is its youngest winner. Her debut album released after her win went platinum. In 2012 she made her feature film debut with Whitney Houston in the movie Sparkle.
Jordan Zimmermann– is a professional American baseball picture, who currently plays for the Detroit Tigers. He is a two-time MLB All-Star and co- led the national league in wins in 2013.
Jordan Spieth – is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA tour. He is a former world number one, and he is a three-time major winter. He became the second youngest player to win the Masters in 2015.
Jordan Peele– is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director. He first came to fame from starring in Key&Peele on Comedy Central. He was also on five seasons of Mad TV. He was also on the show Fargo.
Jordan Knight– is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is best known as the lead singer for the boy band New Kids on the Block who had a series of hits in the 1980s and 90s. After the group split in 1984 he launched a solo career where his solo album reach the top 50 on the US Billboard 200.
Jordan Staal– has been a professional Canadian ice hockey player since 2006. He is currently the co-captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He is known for being a premier penalty killer. He is also known for his defensive skills and his ability to score short handed goals.
Jordan Amavi– is a French professional football who plays left back for Marseille.
Jordan Henderson– is an English professional footballer who plays for Liverpool and the English national team. He mostly plays as a central midfielder. In 2010 he won his first cap for England.
Jordan Leopold– is a former American professional ice hockey player. Over his 13 year career he played for eight professional hockey teams.
Jordan Spence– is an English footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. He is mostly a right back, but at times has played at center back. He has represented and captained the English national team at various youth levels.
