Jordan
/ˈdʒɔːr.dən/noun
A river in the Middle East, or a male given name derived from it.
Did you know?The name Jordan spread across Europe through Christian baptism because the River Jordan was the site of Jesus’ baptism, turning a place-name into one of the most enduring personal names in the West.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ʔerdʰ-
“to flow, run”
Ancient Semitic
Semitic
Yardēn / Yarden
“the Jordan River; likely 'the descender,' referring to its steep drop”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἰορδάνης (Iordanēs)
“the Jordan River”
Latin
Latin
Iordanis
“the Jordan River”
Old French
Old French
Jordain
“the Jordan River; later a personal name”
Modern English
English
Jordan
“a river name and a common male given name”