Hey friend! Let‘s chat about naming baby girls Jordan

So you‘re considering the name Jordan for your baby girl? I don‘t blame you – it‘s such a cool name! Jordan has traditionally been a boy‘s name, but it‘s becoming quite trendy for girls lately.

As a fellow data nerd and pop culture junkie, I wanted to give you the full lowdown on the name Jordan for girls. Let‘s explore what it means, how popular it is, famous women named Jordan, and more name ideas to go with it!

Jordan means "flowing down"

Jordan is originally a Hebrew name meaning "flowing down". This refers to the Jordan River which flows from northern Israel down into the Dead Sea.

The river‘s name comes from the Hebrew "Yardenit", derived from "yarad" meaning to descend. So Jordan literally translates to "the descender".

This descending or flowing aspect gives Jordan such a peaceful, graceful vibe. For a baby girl, it evokes images of a gentle river, starting high in the mountains and winding its way through the land. Simply beautiful!

No wonder Jordan became a popular name for babies baptized in the holy waters of the Jordan River. The name now signifies calm, renewal and blessings.

So if you love the soothing flow of nature names, Jordan will suit your daughter perfectly. It‘s much more low-key than names like River or Brook though – just a touch of watery wonder.

Is Jordan more popular for boys or girls?

Traditionally, Jordan has been predominantly a boy‘s name ever since entering the U.S. top 1000 back in 1959.

It had a major popularity spike for boys throughout the 1980s and 90s, likely because of basketball superstar Michael Jordan. The name Jordan peaked at #17 in 1991.

However, the tides are now turning. Jordan first appeared on the girls‘ chart way back in 1975 but stayed uncommon. Things changed around the 2000s when parents started viewing Jordan as a potential girl‘s name.

In the 2010s, the name started rapidly climbing for girls. It entered the top 100 for the first time in 2019.

These days, Jordan ranks #106 for girls and #104 for boys in the U.S. So it‘s become almost equally popular across genders, making it a versatile pick!

Here‘s a breakdown of how common Jordan is for each gender today:

So while Jordan is still more popular for boys, about 1 in 2,500 baby girls get named Jordan nowadays, compared to 1 in 500 baby boys.

The gap is narrowing fast as Jordan gains traction as a girl‘s name. I predict it could enter the women‘s top 100 before long!

How Jordan is trending for girls

Based on the data, Jordan is clearly rising fast for girls in the United States:

• It‘s up 45% for girls in the past decade
• It reached its highest ever rank of #91 in 2019
• Jordan is now given to nearly equal numbers of boys and girls
• Celebs like Jordan Alexander are choosing it
• It fits with the trend toward gender neutral names

The name seems to be catching on quickest in western states like Utah, Arizona, Oregon and Alaska.

However, Jordan isn‘t just trending for American girls. It‘s also rising internationally according to the UK site BabyCentre:

• Up 93% for girls in the UK since 2012
• Now #145 for girls and #88 for boys in England and Wales
• Big gains as a girl‘s name in New Zealand and Australia too

So across the English-speaking world, Jordan is a girl‘s name on the rise!

If you hop on this trend now, you‘ll be ahead of the curve before Jordan really takes off for girls.

Cute nicknames for Jordan

One thing I love about Jordan is you get built-in nickname options! Here are some cute ideas:

• Jo – Joyful and spirited
• Jojo – Playful for a little girl
• Josie – Sweet vintage vibe
• Jordy – Unisex nickname
• Jordie – Extra girly twist
• JJ – Modern initial nickname
• Joey – Fun gender neutral nickname

You could also get creative like Dan-Dan, DoDo, Jellybean or Joey Bear. With all these possibilities, I‘d say Jordan is a great name for nicknamers.

Famous women named Jordan

While still not overly common, Jordan has been chosen by some pretty rad female celebrities. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

Jordan Alexander – She stars as Julien Calloway on the Gossip Girl reboot. This Canadian actress is just so poised and fabulous.

Jordan Brewster – Best known for the Fast and Furious movies. She‘s a sci-fi queen in my books – love her!

Jordin Sparks – The season 6 American Idol winner. Her hit song "No Air" with Chris Brown was my jam back in the day!

Jordan Pruitt – A blonde singer who was on the Disney Channel in the 2000s. Nostalgic for my childhood.

Jordan Masterson – An actress from cult faves Greek and Last Man Standing. She just seems so smart and grounded.

Jordan Baker – A minor character in the Great Gatsby. She‘s a professional golfer who lives a wild, lavish lifestyle.

Of course the most iconic Jordan is still basketball superstar Michael Jordan. But it‘s cool to see women making their mark with the name too nowadays!

Spelling variations for girls

While Jordan dominates as the standard spelling, you also have options:

• Jordyn – The most popular feminine spelling at #363. However, it‘s falling a bit out of favor lately.

• Jordana – The super girly spelling but it‘s far down at #1,867 in popularity.

• Jordon – A fresh gender neutral spin but hasn‘t caught on for girls yet.

• Jordane – A unique creation along the lines of Jordyn but extremely uncommon.

In the end, I‘d stick with the classic Jordan spelling if you want the versatility of it working for both boys and girls. But Jordyn is a fine option if you prefer something more overtly feminine.

Middle names for Jordan

Finding the perfect middle name to complement Jordan gives you lots of paths to take.

Some ideas that enhance the feminine charm:

• Jordan Rose
• Jordan Hope
• Jordan Pearl
• Jordan Mae
• Jordan Paige
• Jordan Faith
• Jordan Kate

Or you could continue the gender neutral style with initials like:

• Jordan T.
• Jordan Q.
• Jordan R.

But to be honest, short natural middle names sound gorgeous:

• Jordan Rain
• Jordan Sky
• Jordan Star
• Jordan Cloud

I‘d avoid one-syllable middles like Jordan Lee or Jordan Grace though – the cadence runs together. Go for two or more syllables.

Let me know if you need more middle name ideas though! I could brainstorm all day.

How does Jordan sound with different surnames?

In my opinion, Jordan is one of those names that pairs so nicely with most last names. No matter the surname style, it just seems to work!

Here are some ideas with different types of surnames:

Short surnames:

• Jordan Hill
• Jordan Young
• Jordan Fong
• Jordan Zen

Longer surnames:

• Jordan Huntington
• Jordan Montagliani
• Jordan Silverstone

N-ending surnames:

• Jordan Glenn
• Jordan Byrne
• Jordan Tennant

Of course, the middle name you choose may alter the flow. But generally Jordan‘s energetic yet mellow rhythm complements most last names beautifully. Let me know your surname picks!

Pop culture connections

One fun dimension of Jordan is its cool pop culture ties. The name sparks instant recognition for some major icons:

• Michael Jordan – The basketball GOAT. His Nike "Air Jordans" took over the ‘80s and ‘90s.

• Katie "Jordan" Price – A British model/entertainer who went by the alter ego "Jordan" early in her career.

• Space Jam – MJ teams up with Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes in this sports comedy classic.

• Mean Girls – Jordan is the hottie on-again-off-again boyfriend of queen bee Regina George.

• The Great Gatsby – Jordan Baker is a minor character in the novel – a professional golfer and Daisy‘s friend.

For me, choosing the name Jordan would be a fun way to sneak in pop culture references that only fellow fanatics would pick up on!

Geographic ties

Beyond pop culture, Jordan relates to some very noteworthy places:

• The Jordan River – This winding river in the Middle East is holy to many religions. It‘s a pilgrimage site where Jesus was baptized.

• Jordan Country – An Arab nation in the Middle East. It‘s home to the ancient stone city of Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

• Jordan Lake – A reservoir in North Carolina‘s Research Triangle region. It‘s popular for boating, fishing, and water fun.

• Jordan, Montana – A tiny old railroad town with under 300 people. It has an intriguing wild west history.

Does your family have any ties to these places named Jordan? Or other locations like Jordan, Ontario in Canada? Let me know! Perhaps a geographic connection makes it extra meaningful for you.

Is Jordan trendy or timeless?

This is always the big question with baby names – will it endure for a lifetime or fade out?

In my view, Jordan falls closer to the timeless end of the spectrum, though it has a dash of trendiness right now.

Timeless features:

• Jordan has biblical roots as a baptismal name

• It‘s less frilly and has an established history as a male name

• The sound is energetic yet smooth and appealing

• Geographic names like Jordan tend to age well

Trendy aspects:

• Popularity is rising fast for girls right now

• The unisex style fits the current craze

• Jordan has some youthful pop culture ties

Overall I‘d say Jordan is a safe choice that will still feel modern down the road. The sound is familiar but the use for girls adds freshness.

I think Jordan will retain its charm into adulthood while still fitting a baby born today. The best of both worlds!

Religious ties

Despite its Hebrew origins, Jordan has wide appeal across religions now. Here‘s a quick rundown:

• Christian – Baptismal significance gives Jordan importance. Saints like St. Jordan connect it.

• Jewish – The meaning relates to the Jordan River, which has a role in the Old Testament.

• Muslim – Jordan is an English interpretation of Islamic names like Yarden.

• Catholic – Baptism in the River Jordan is symbolic. Many popes have visited the holy site.

• Non-Religious – Jordan‘s watery peacefulness has natural appeal.

What I love is that no single faith can claim Jordan as exclusively theirs nowadays. It‘s broadly embraceable by spiritual and secular folks alike. Pretty cool for a biblical name!

Let me know if your family leans toward any particular religion or tradition. But I think Jordan can suit anyone.

My verdict

Hopefully you can tell by now that I‘m wholeheartedly on board with Jordan for a girl! Here‘s a quick recap of why I endorse it:

• The flowing, descending meaning is gorgeous

• Rising popularity for girls but still unique

• Gender neutral edge but also feminine forms like Jordyn

• Cool, laidback vibe – not too frilly

• Natural nickname options

• Suitable for all ages – not just a cute kid name

• Mainstream appeal but not overused

• Rhythm flows with most middle and last names

• Pop culture ties are fun but not defining

• Geographic connections add depth

• Suitable across religions and cultures

Clearly you can‘t go wrong with the name Jordan for your daughter! The only question is…are you bold enough to step outside the box and give this emerging girl‘s name a chance?

I know naming a baby can be agonizing. You want to make sure you choose the perfect name for your little one.

But take it from me – based on current trends, in 5 or 10 years from now, no one is going to blink an eye at a girl called Jordan. It suits both today‘s generation and the future.

So be an early adopter of this cool girl‘s name and set the tone for your fashionable daughter! I have a feeling Jordan is destined for big things.

Let me know if you need any more name insights or have questions. I‘m happy to chat more about how Jordan would fit your family. Wishing you lots of luck as you decide on a name for your baby girl!