Name profile

BoyPronounced American English /ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən/; British English /ˈd͡ʒɔː.dən/; French /ʒɔʁ.dɑ̃/; Macedonian /ˈjɔr.dan/Hungarian language family

Jordán

A name meaning "descend, flow down".

Quick answer

Jordán is a boy name meaning "descend, flow down".

Pronunciation: American English /ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən/; British English /ˈd͡ʒɔː.dən/; French /ʒɔʁ.dɑ̃/; Macedonian /ˈjɔr.dan/.

GenderBoy
Meaningdescend, flow down
PronunciationAmerican English /ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən/; British English /ˈd͡ʒɔː.dən/; French /ʒɔʁ.dɑ̃/; Macedonian /ˈjɔr.dan/
Language familyHungarian

Meaning and history

This name comes from the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from יָרַד ( yaraḏ ) meaning "descend, flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian. This name died out after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. In America and other countries it became fairly popular in the second half of the 20th century. A famous bearer of the surname is former basketball star Michael Jordan (1963-).

Notes and context

Usage: english, french, macedonian, serbian | Macedonian: Јордан; Ancient Hebrew: יַרְדֵן