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At a Glance: Name: Gordon – Meaning: disputed — either 'muddy hill' or 'great fort' – Origin: Scottish (surname, disputed origin) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: GOR-dun
Gordon is a Scottish surname turned first name for a boy, with a classic, old-fashioned feel and an outdoorsy, wandering quality to it. You'll often hear it explained as simply meaning "great hill," but that's not quite settled — scholars actually trace it to two different possible roots, either "muddy hill" or "great fort." It's pronounced GOR-dun.
Meaning & Origin of Gordon
Meaning: Disputed — either 'muddy hill' or 'great fort'.
Origin: Scottish (surname, disputed origin).
A common claim: great hill Actually: Widely stated to simply mean 'great hill,' but scholars actually disagree between two different theories — 'muddy hill' (Old English) or 'great fort' (Brittonic) — neither of which literally matches the popular gloss.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Gordon
Phonetic: GOR-dun IPA: /ˈɡɔːrdən/
Popularity of Gordon
Gordon was near its height in 1935, ranking #70 with 2,614 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen far from that peak, sitting at #1089 with just 199 babies named Gordon, based on Social Security data spanning 1880 to 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Gordon Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Gordon, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Gordon mean?
Disputed — either ‘muddy hill’ or ‘great fort’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Gordon)
How do you pronounce Gordon?
Gordon is pronounced GOR-dun (IPA: /ˈɡɔːrdən/).
Is Gordon a popular name right now?
Gordon peaked at #70 in 1935 and is ranked #1089 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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