Jorden

Jorden is an alternate spelling of Jordan. As a gender-neutral given name, Jordan is derived specifically from the River Jordan which flows along the eastern border of Israel through the Sea of Galilee and down to the Dead Sea. The river’s name comes from the Hebrew word “haYarden” meaning “flowing down”. Located in the Holy Lands, the River Jordan has always held significant symbolic meaning for Jewish people and Christians alike. For Jews, the river is a symbol of freedom since its crossing was the final step of Moses’ and the ancient Israelite’s return to the Promise Land after years of abject slavery in Egypt. For Christians, the River Jordan is sacred because it’s where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. During the Middle Ages, around the time of the Crusades, Christians would pilgrimage to the Holy Land and return with a jar containing the holy water from the river. Children (male and female) who were baptized with this holy water were often given the name Jordan. From an etymology perspective, one might think Jordan is the transferred use of a surname (a la Michael Jordan), when in fact it originated as a given name. Some of the earlier medieval versions of the name were Jordanis and Jourdain. Eventually it became a surname derived from the personal name. Arguably, Jordan is one of the most successful unisex given names of all time. It’s no surprise that a few other spelling variations started to surface in reaction to the name’s popularity – respellings are also a modern staple naming trend in America. Jorden and Jordon were created with the intention of making the name look more masculine, while Jordyn(n) and Jordin are meant to feminize it a little more.