Gideon
Gideon is a gender neutral given name and surname of Hebrew origin which translates to 'feller' or 'hewer' in Hebrew. It can also be interpreted as "One who has a stump in place of a hand" or "One who cuts down". The name originates with the Biblical judge and leader Gideon, who impressed Calvinist groups like English Puritans and French Huguenots with his martial skill and utility.
Meaning & Origin of Gideon
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gideon is a gender neutral given name and surname of Hebrew origin which translates to 'feller' or 'hewer' in Hebrew. It can also be interpreted as "One who has a stump in place of a hand" or "One who cuts down". The name originates with the Biblical judge and leader Gideon, who impressed Calvinist groups like English Puritans and French Huguenots with his martial skill and utility.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gideon
Gideon first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 1,161 Gideons were born — ranking #304 that year. As of 2026, Gideon ranks #335 for baby boys with 1,040 births, holding steady (-4%). In total, more than 23K Gideons have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Gideon
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Gideon Acland (1777–1819), English merchant
- Gideon Acquah (born 2000), Ghanaian footballer
- Gideon Adams (1755–1834), Canadian farmer, soldier and politician
- Gideon Adlon (born 1997), American actress
- Gideon Aigbefoh (born 1990), Nigerian weightlifter
- Gideon Winans Allen (1835–1912), American politician
- Gideon Amichay (born 1963), Israeli advertising executive, marketer and author
- Gideon Ariel (born 1939), Israeli Olympic competitor in the shot put and discus throw
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Gideon
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gideon is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gideon
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About the name Gideon
Gideon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 23K births in the dataset. Gideon's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #304. Use the chart and map above to compare Gideon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2017 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.