Jonathan

¹ American  

[jon-uh-thuhn] / ˈdʒɒn ə θən /

noun

1. a variety of red apple that matures in early autumn.

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Jonathan ² American  

[jon-uh-thuhn] / ˈdʒɒn ə θən /

noun

1. (in the Bible) a son of Saul and friend of David.

2. Archaic. an American, especially a New Englander.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “God gave.”

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Jonathan ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒɒnəθən /

noun

1. a variety of red apple that ripens in early autumn

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Jonathan ² British  

noun

1. Old Testament the son of Saul and David's close friend, who was killed in battle (I Samuel 31; II Samuel 1:19–26)

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Etymology

Origin of Jonathan

First recorded in 1875–80; named after Jonathan Hasbrouck (died 1846), American jurist

Example Sentences

But last year, the government's independent reviewer of terror legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, said new powers were needed to tackle state-sponsored organisations.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

When asked if he was a Jew, Jonathan Miller, then a member of the English comedy group Beyond the Fringe, answered, no, but “I’m Jew-ish.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

“It’s outrageous,” said Jonathan Wilson, author of “The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Jonathan Wolf of the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues built this global map using an enormous dataset.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026

He shook the water off his coat, dropped the driftwood at Jonathan’s feet, and looked at Jonathan expectantly, as if to say, Well?

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret