Meaning of name Jonathan

JONATHAN

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, German, Scandinavian, Biblical

Pronounced: JOHN-a-than (English), YO-nah-tahn (German) [key]

From the Hebrew name יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan) (contracted to יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan)) meaning "God has given". In the Old Testament Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul and a friend of David. He was killed in battle with the Philistines. A famous bearer of this name was Jonathan Swift, the satirist who wrote 'Gulliver's Travels' and other works.