Rising since 1991, #6,446 for boys today.
Popularity of Adonijah since 1982
Babies named Adonijah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 6 |
| 1990s | 11 | 45 |
| 2000s | 15 | 146 |
| 2010s | 0 | 207 |
| 2020s | 0 | 79 |
Meaning & origin
Adonijah is a rare biblical name that has seen modest, intermittent use starting in 1982. Its peak popularity occurred in 2014, though it has never been widespread. The name has been rising gradually since 1991. Adonijah ranks 6,446th in the U.S., with about 1 in 131,390 boys receiving the name. It is primarily used among families seeking distinctive Old Testament names, though it has not been recorded in any state's top 1000. As a name borne by a rebellious son of King David, Adonijah carries a strong religious and historical weight, but its rarity makes it a distinctive choice.
Derived from the Hebrew elements 'adon' (lord) and 'Yah' (a shortened form of Yahweh, the name of God). In the Hebrew Bible, Adonijah was the fourth son of King David, who attempted to claim the throne before Solomon. The name has been used among English-speaking Christians since the Protestant Reformation, particularly by Puritans, but it has never been common.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Adon, Adoni, Jonah
Variants: Adoniah, Adoniyahu
Sibling names for Adonijah
Names that share Adonijah's style, for a brother or sister.
