
The short answer
Gideon is a masculine name used in Biblical and Hebrew. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning ‘feller, hewer’, derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning ‘to cut, to hew’. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament." It ranked #337 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning ‘feller, hewer’, derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning ‘to cut, to hew’. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. The entry lists its usage as Biblical, Hebrew, English, Dutch.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Gideon ranked #337 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #337 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Biblical) and that sit near Gideon in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gideon mean?
Gideon means "feller, hewer", according to Behind the Name.
Is Gideon a popular name?
Gideon ranked #337 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Gideon a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Gideon appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Gideon — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.