In the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament, the name Jonathan (Hebrew: Yonatan, יוֹנָתָן) derives from the elements Yah (a shortened form of Yahweh) and natan ("to give"), signifying "Yahweh has given" or "gift of God," a theophoric name reflecting divine provision and favor central to many biblical narratives.[1] This etymology underscores themes of loyalty and providence in the stories of figures bearing the name, portraying them as recipients and agents of God's will.The most prominent biblical Jonathan is the eldest son of King Saul and heir to the throne of Israel, depicted as a skilled warrior and loyal friend to David.[2] Early in his narrative, Jonathan leads a daring raid against a Philistine garrison at Geba, igniting a broader Israelite victory and demonstrating his bravery and initiative independent of his father.[3] His friendship with David, forged after David's triumph over Goliath, evolves into a profound covenant of mutual protection and love surpassing that of family, exemplified by Jonathan's warnings to David of Saul's murderous jealousy and their emotional farewell at Horesh.[4] This bond highlights theological themes of selfless loyalty and divine election, as Jonathan recognizes David's anointed destiny despite his own royal lineage.[5]Jonathan's military exploits continue, including a clandestine assault on the Philistine outpost at Michmash with his armor-bearer, resulting in panic among the enemy and a rout that Saul's forces capitalize on, though Jonathan unwittingly violates Saul's oath by eating honey, nearly costing him his life.[6] His life ends tragically at the Battle of Mount Gilboa, where he, his brothers Abinadab and Malki-Shua, and Saul fall to the Philistines; David later laments their deaths in a poetic elegy, praising Jonathan's valor and their unsevered love.[7] This event fulfills prophetic undertones of Saul's downfall and reinforces motifs of divine sovereignty over human kingship.A lesser-known figure is Jonathan, son of the priest Abiathar, who serves as a trusted messenger in King David's court during Absalom's rebellion.[8] Stationed with Ahimaaz son of Zadok at En Rogel, he relays critical intelligence from the priests to David, aiding the king's evasion and strategic response.[9] Later, during Adonijah's bid for the throne, Jonathan reports events at the royal proceedings, underscoring his role in preserving David's succession to Solomon.[10] These accounts emphasize the name's association with faithful service in pivotal moments of Israelite history.Another biblical Jonathan appears as a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who serves as a priest for Micah's household shrine in the hill country of Ephraim (Judges 17:7–13). Later, he becomes the priest for the tribe of Dan after they steal Micah's idols and relocate north, establishing a sanctuary at Laish (Judges 18:30). This figure illustrates themes of religious syncretism and the fluidity of priestly roles in early Israelite society.
Other religious contexts
In rabbinic literature, Jonathan son of Saul is celebrated for his piety, modesty, and exemplary friendship with David, often serving as a moral archetype in Jewish lore. He is praised among those who forgo worldly honors in this world to inherit the life of the world to come, underscoring his selflessness in yielding his claim to the throne for the greater good. Similarly, Bava Metzia 85a highlights his humility, citing his declaration to David: "You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you" (1 Samuel 23:17), portraying him as a model of deference to divine will.Midrashic traditions further embellish Jonathan's character, emphasizing his role in ethical narratives. In Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, a midrashic work, his unintentional violation of Saul's oath during a fast leads to near-execution, illustrating the binding nature of vows and the tension between filial duty and righteousness. Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 5:16 extols the David-Jonathan bond as an exemplar of unconditional love, free from material incentives, which endures as a paradigm for interpersonal loyalty in Jewish ethics. Midrash Tehillim, a collection of homilies on Psalms, interprets Jonathan's actions in the context of Saul's downfall, portraying him as a pious counterpoint who recognizes David's anointed status through prophetic insight.In Christian interpretive traditions beyond the canonical Bible, Jonathan appears in apocryphal expansions and patristic exegesis, often allegorized to convey theological lessons. Pseudo-Philo's Biblical Antiquities, a first-century Jewish-Hellenistic text influential in early Christianity, amplifies Jonathan's discourses on justice and leadership, depicting him as a righteous warrior whose death symbolizes the consequences of Saul's flawed rule. Patristic writers, such as those in the Antiochene school, view Jonathan's breach of Saul's fast as morally neutral or even merciful, using it to teach on grace and forgiveness rather than strict legalism. His friendship with David is frequently allegorized as prefiguring Christ's bond with the faithful, emphasizing themes of sacrificial love and covenantal fidelity in homilies and commentaries.[11]Islamic traditions do not explicitly mention Jonathan by name, though narratives of Talut (Saul) and his campaigns against Jalut (Goliath) in the Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:246–251) parallel biblical accounts involving Saul's family. Some later tafsir (exegeses) draw indirect connections to figures like Yusha (Joshua) in successorship stories, but no distinct Jonathan character emerges in canonical sources.[12]Etymologically, the name Jonathan (Hebrew: Yehonatan) derives from "Yahweh has given," symbolizing divine provision and grace, which resonates across Abrahamic faiths in naming practices. In Judaism, it invokes blessings of longevity and favor, often chosen to honor biblical piety; Jewish custom favors such theophoric names in rituals like brit milah to connect the child to sacred heritage. In Christianity, the name similarly connotes God's gifts, appearing in baptismal and confirmation contexts to signify spiritual endowment, as seen in early church naming after scriptural exemplars.[13]
People
Arts and entertainment
Jonathan Groff is an Americanactor and singer renowned for his versatile performances across stage, film, and television. He gained prominence for originating the role of King George III in the Broadway musical Hamilton, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2016 and contributing to the cast album's Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.[14] His television work includes portraying FBI profiler Holden Ford in the Netflix series Mindhunter, for which he received a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2018.[15] Groff's stagecareer also features a Tony Award-winning performance as Franklin Shepard in the 2023 Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.[16]Jonathan Pryce is a Welsh actor celebrated for his commanding presence in both theater and screen roles. He portrayed the High Sparrow in HBO's Game of Thrones from 2015 to 2016, earning a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2016.[17] Later, Pryce played Prince Philip in the final two seasons of Netflix's The Crown (2022–2023), receiving another Emmy nomination for the role in 2023.[18] His stage accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor—for Miss Saigon in 1991 and The Caretaker in 1998—and a Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Play for Comedians in 1977.[19]In music, Jonathan Davis serves as the lead vocalist and frontman of the nu-metal band Korn, which he co-founded in 1993. Davis's distinctive vocal style, blending rapping, screaming, and scat singing, helped define the genre, with Korn's self-titled debut album in 1994 selling over 10 million copies worldwide.[20] The band has secured two Grammy Awards—Best Metal Performance for "Here to Stay" in 2003 and for "Did My Time" in 2004—out of eight nominations.[21]Jonathan Richman is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who pioneered proto-punk with his band The Modern Lovers in the early 1970s. Their influential 1976 self-titled album, featuring raw tracks like "Roadrunner," impacted future artists in punk and indie rock, including Talking Heads and The Pretenders.[22] Richman has since pursued a solo career marked by whimsical, minimalist folk-pop, releasing over 20 albums and contributing songs to films such as Something About Mary (1998).[23]Filmmaker Jonathan Demme was an acclaimed director known for blending genres in socially conscious narratives. His 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs won the Academy Award for Best Director, along with Best Picture, making it one of only three films to sweep the top five Oscars.[24] Demme's earlier work includes the concert film Stop Making Sense (1984) for Talking Heads, and he later directed Philadelphia (1993), which advanced LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream cinema.[25]Author Jonathan Safran Foer is noted for his innovative novels exploring themes of family, trauma, and identity. His debut, Everything Is Illuminated (2002), a semi-autobiographical story of Holocaust remembrance, was adapted into a 2005 film directed by Liev Schreiber.[26] Foer's 2005 novel Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, addressing 9/11's aftermath, was adapted into a 2011 film starring Thomas Horn and Sandra Bullock.[27]Industrial designer Sir Jonathan Ive shaped modern consumer technology through his work at Apple Inc., where he served as chief design officer from 2012 to 2019. Ive led the creation of iconic products like the iMac (1998), iPod (2001), iPhone (2007), and iPad (2010), emphasizing minimalist aesthetics and user intuition.[28] His contributions earned him the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award in 2003 and a knighthood in 2012 for services to design and enterprise.[29]
Sports
In association football, several prominent players named Jonathan have achieved international recognition, particularly as forwards and defenders. Jonathan Mensah, a Ghanaian centre-back born in 1990, has been a mainstay for the Ghana national team, earning 70 caps and participating in two FIFA World Cups (2010 and 2014) as well as six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.[30][31] During his MLS career with clubs like Columbus Crew SC and the New England Revolution, he was named to the 2020 MLS Best XI and captained Columbus to the MLS Cup final in 2020, contributing to defensive solidity with over 150 appearances and key blocks in high-stakes matches.[32][33]Jonathan David, a Canadian striker born in 2000, has emerged as one of Europe's top forwards since joining Lille OSC in 2020, where he helped secure the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title with a decisive goal against Paris Saint-Germain and won the 2021 Trophée des Champions.[34][35] After joining Lille OSC in 2020 and helping secure the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title, he transferred to Juventus FC in summer 2025; his totals at Lille reached 109 goals in 232 appearances, and he has since contributed 1 goal in 9 appearances for Juventus as of November 2025. As of 2025, he holds the record as Canada's all-time leading scorer with 37 international goals in 72 appearances, including a standout 2024-25 season with 25 goals and 12 assists across 49 appearances for Lille, earning him the 2025 CONCACAF Men's Player of the Year award.[36][37] His career totals at Lille exceed 100 goals, highlighting his clinical finishing and role in the club's post-2023 resurgence.[38]Other notable footballers include Jonathan Rodríguez, a Uruguayan forward born in 1993, who transitioned from Liga MX—where he scored 108 goals and provided 27 assists over eight seasons with clubs like Santos Laguna and Club América—to Major League Soccer's Portland Timbers in 2023, adding 1 goal in 6 substitute appearances during the 2025 season amid a career total of approximately 145 goals in 386 matches as of November 2025.[39][40]Jonathan Tah, a German centre-back born in 1996, anchored Bayer Leverkusen's defense during their unbeaten 2023-24 Bundesliga title win and 2024 DFB-Pokal triumph, amassing nearly 300 Bundesliga appearances before transferring to Bayern Munich in 2025; he has also featured in two UEFA European Championships (2016 and 2024) for Germany.[41][42][43]In ice hockey, Jonathan Quick, an American goaltender born in 1985, stands as the National Hockey League's winningest U.S.-born netminder with 407 career victories as of 2025, ranking 13th all-time overall; he reached 400 wins during the 2023-24 season and continued adding to his total in 2024-25 with the New York Rangers, following stints with the Los Angeles Kings where he secured three Stanley Cups—with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014, and with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023—along with a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2012.[44][45]Basketball has seen Jonathan Isaac, an American power forward born in 1997, drafted sixth overall by the Orlando Magic in 2017 after a standout college season at Florida State; despite injury challenges limiting him to 276 regular-season games through 2025, he averages 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, with defensive prowess evidenced by 1.2 blocks per game career-wide and contributions to the Magic's playoff pushes in recent seasons.[46][47] Post-2023, emerging talents like Jonathan Powell, a 2024 high school recruit who joined West Virginia University's basketball program as a freshmanguard, have begun gaining attention in college circuits for their scoring potential, signaling the next wave of Jonathans in the sport.[48]
Politics, business, and academia
In the realm of politics, Jonathan Moyo has been a prominent Zimbabwean figure, serving as Minister of Information from 2000 to 2005 and Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development from 2015 to 2017.[49] As information minister, he was a key architect of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) of 2002, which regulated media ownership and was criticized for enabling government control over independent journalism, including the closure of the Daily News newspaper.[50] Moyo also contributed to the development of Zimbabwe's "patriotic history" narrative, promoting government-aligned interpretations of the nation's past through state media and policy initiatives during his tenure.[51] Earlier in his career, as a political science scholar with a PhD in public policy, he shifted from criticizing President Robert Mugabe in the 1990s to becoming a staunch defender of ZANU-PF policies.[52]Jonathan Sumption, a Britishauthor, medieval historian, and former senior judge, served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2018.[53] Renowned for his multi-volume history of the Hundred Years' War, Sumption's third volume, Divided Houses (2009), won the 2010 Wolfson History Prize, recognizing its scholarly depth in analyzing medieval European conflicts.[54] His fourth volume, Cursed Kings (2015), earned the 2017 Gründler Prize from Western Michigan University for outstanding contributions to late medieval studies.[55] In 2023, Sumption received the Franco-British Society Literary Award for the fifth volume, Trial by Battle, further cementing his influence on historical scholarship.[56] As a judge, he applied historical methods to constitutional law, notably dissenting in cases involving Brexit and parliamentary sovereignty.[57] Sumption was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2011 for services to the legal profession.[58]In business, Jonathan Gray has been President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone Inc. since 2018, overseeing the firm's expansion to $1.2 trillion in assets under management by 2025.[59] Under his leadership, Blackstone's real estate division grew from $5 billion to $325 billion in investor capital, becoming the firm's largest segment through strategic acquisitions like the $26 billion leveraged buyout of Hilton Hotels in 2007, which yielded $14 billion in profits for investors.[60][61] Gray orchestrated the privatization of over $100 billion in public real estate assets, including Extended Stay America and Invitation Homes, diversifying Blackstone into residential and data center investments amid AI-driven demand.[62]Sir Jonathan Ive, as Apple's Chief Design Officer from 1997 to 2019, played a pivotal role in the company's business transformation, contributing to products that generated over $2 trillion in market value growth during his tenure.[28] His innovations, including the iMac (1998), iPod (2001), iPhone (2007), and iPad (2010), revolutionized consumer electronics and drove Apple's revenue from $7 billion in 1997 to $383 billion by 2019, emphasizing minimalist design to enhance user experience and brand loyalty.[63] Ive's work earned him the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award in 2003 and a knighthood in 2012 for services to design and enterprise.[28] Post-Apple, he co-founded LoveFrom in 2019, advising on AI hardware for OpenAI to integrate design with emerging technologies.[64]Among academics, Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University Stern School of Business, has shaped moral psychology through seminal works like The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (2012), which introduced the Moral Foundations Theory to explain ideological divides.[65] His book The Coddling of the American Mind (2018, co-authored with Greg Lukianoff) critiqued safetyism in higher education, influencing debates on free speech and mental health on campuses.[66] Haidt's 2024 bestseller The Anxious Generation links smartphone use to rising teen mental illness rates, advocating policy reforms like age limits on social media, and has informed U.S. congressional hearings on child welfare.[67] He co-founded Heterodox Academy in 2015 to promote viewpoint diversity in academia.[65]Jonathan Gruber, Ford Professor of Economics at MIT, has advanced health economics and public policy, notably contributing to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a key architect, modeling its insurance mandates to expand coverage to 20 million Americans by 2016.[68] His research on public finance, including over 150 articles, examines how policies like Social Security influence retirement and labor markets, influencing reforms in multiple countries.[69] Gruber served as Director of the National Bureau of Economic Research's Program on Health Care from 2009 to 2019 and was President of the American Society of Health Economists from 2016 to 2018.[70] His textbook Public Finance and Public Policy (first edition 2001) is a standard reference, emphasizing empirical analysis of government efficiency.[71]Jonathan Borwein (1951–2016), Laureate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Newcastle, Australia, pioneered computational mathematics, developing experimental mathematics techniques that integrated high-performance computing with rigorous proofs.[72] His work on pi approximations and optimization, including the Borwein algorithms for efficient computation, advanced nonsmooth analysis and maximum entropy methods, influencing fields like signal processing.[73] Co-authoring nearly 500 papers and 28 books, Borwein founded the Centre for Computer Assisted Research in Mathematics (CARMA) and promoted open-source tools for mathematical discovery.[74] He received the 2015 Fellow of the American Mathematical Society for contributions to computational methods and the 2017 Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute Distinguished Service Award posthumously.[75][76]
Fictional characters
Literature and comics
In literature, one of the most prominent fictional characters named Jonathan is Jonathan Harker, the protagonist and narrator in Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. A young English solicitor, Harker travels to Transylvania to assist Count Dracula with a real estate transaction in England, only to become imprisoned in the count's castle where he uncovers Dracula's vampiric nature and barely escapes with his life.[77] The story explores themes of rationality versus the supernatural, with Harker's Victorian sensibility contrasting the exotic horrors he encounters; his experiences set the novel's central conflict, leading to a group effort to destroy Dracula.[78]Another notable literary figure is Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the titular character in Richard Bach's 1970 novella Jonathan Livingston Seagull. This seagull rejects his flock's focus on food and survival to pursue the perfection of flight, resulting in his exile and a spiritual journey toward enlightenment and self-realization on a higher plane of existence.[79] The allegorical tale emphasizes themes of individualism, freedom, and transcendence, drawing from Bach's aviation background and philosophical influences like Eastern spirituality.[80]Susanna Clarke's 2004 debut novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell features Jonathan Strange as a charismatic and ambitious magician who revives practical magic in early 19th-century England amid the Napoleonic Wars. As the brilliant but restless apprentice to the reclusive scholar Gilbert Norrell, Strange employs his talents in military campaigns and fairy lore, but their rivalry escalates into a profound personal and magical conflict involving betrayal, madness, and the restoration of England's magical heritage.[81] Clarke, inspired by Regency-era literature and folklore, weaves themes of ambition, isolation, and the cost of power into a narrative rich with faux-historical footnotes. The novel has been adapted into a 2015 BBC miniseries.[81]In comics, Jonathan Joestar serves as the heroic protagonist of the Phantom Blood arc in Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from January to October 1987. The son of a wealthy English aristocrat, Joestar trains in the ancient martial art of Hamon (Ripple) to combat his adoptive brother Dio Brando, who becomes a vampire seeking immortality and power, culminating in a transatlantic battle blending Victorian adventure with supernatural elements.[82] Araki, drawing from his interests in fashion, music, and Western media, establishes themes of legacy, honor, and unyielding resolve that define the series' multi-generational saga.[82]Jonathan Kent, often called Pa Kent, is a key supporting character in DC Comics' Superman mythos, created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster and debuting in Action Comics #1 in 1938 (with the name Jonathan solidified in the 1950s). A humble Kansas farmer, Kent and his wife Martha discover and adopt the infant Kal-El (Clark Kent) after his rocket crashes on Earth, raising him with strong moral values and instilling the heroism that shapes Superman's identity.[83] His role underscores themes of nurture, ethics, and small-town Americana in the face of extraordinary destiny, appearing across countless Superman stories and adaptations originating from the comics.[83]
Film, television, and other media
In film and television, several fictional characters named Jonathan have become prominent, often embodying themes of protection, intellect, or moral conflict within their narratives.Jonathan Byers is a central figure in the Netflix series Stranger Things, serving as the protective older brother to Will Byers and son to Joyce Byers in the supernatural events unfolding in Hawkins, Indiana. Introduced in the 2016 premiere, his arc evolves from a reclusive high school photographer dealing with family hardships and social isolation to a key ally in confronting interdimensional threats, including his evolving relationship with Nancy Wheeler amid the Upside Down's dangers.[84] Byers' character has resonated with fans for representing quiet resilience, contributing to the series' cultural impact through merchandise and discussions on themes of familial loyalty.[85]In Disney's 2025 live-action remake of Snow White, Jonathan (portrayed by Andrew Burnap) is introduced as a roguish commoner and Snow White's primary love interest, replacing the traditional Prince. He supports Snow White (Rachel Zegler) in her quest for empowerment against the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), highlighting themes of partnership, leadership, and self-determination in this updated fairy tale narrative.[86]Jonathan Crane, known as the Scarecrow, appears as a recurring antagonist in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, debuting in Batman Begins (2005) as a corrupt psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who experiments with a fear-inducing hallucinogenic toxin to terrorize Gotham's criminals and citizens. His role extends into The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), where he continues deploying the toxin in alliance with larger threats like the Joker and Bane, embodying psychological manipulation within the franchise's exploration of fear and vigilantism.[87] The character's chilling presence has influenced Batman media adaptations, highlighting his status as a psychologically driven villain.[88]In the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World (1993–2000), Jonathan Turner functions as a mentor and English teacher at John Adams High School, guiding students Cory Matthews, Shawn Hunter, and Topanga Lawrence through personal growth and ethical dilemmas with his laid-back, motivational style. His arc peaks in season three when a motorcycle accident prompts his departure for recovery, leaving a void that underscores themes of influence and transience in adolescence, before a brief return in the spin-offGirl Meets World.[89]Video games feature Jonathan E. Reid as the protagonist of Vampyr (2018), a doctor and World War I veteran turned vampire during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in London, where players navigate his struggle between medical ethics and bloodlust by choosing to heal or feed on citizens, shaping the city's fate through dialogue and combat decisions. Reid's narrative arc centers on uncovering his transformation's origins while combating a vampire conspiracy, emphasizing moral ambiguity in an action role-playing format developed by Dontnod Entertainment.[90]In animation, Jonathan Brisby serves as a posthumous hero in Don Bluth's The Secret of NIMH (1982), the late husband of Mrs. Brisby and father to their children, whose prior alliance with intelligent rats escaped from the National Institute of Mental Health enables his widow's quest to save their home from destruction. Though unseen in action, his legacy as a brave field mouse who wore a protective amulet drives the film's themes of courage and community, adapted loosely from Robert C. O'Brien's novel.[91]
Other uses
Places and geography
Jonathan, Minnesota, is a planned community within the city of Chaska in Carver County, developed in the early 1970s as a "new town" experiment in balanced suburban growth.[92] Founded by state senator and businessman Henry T. McKnight, it was named after 18th-century explorer Jonathan Carver, after whom the county is also named, reflecting local historical ties rather than the biblical figure.[93] Envisioned to house up to 50,000 residents across 2,200 acres of integrated residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, the project aimed to foster self-contained living but fell short due to economic challenges in the 1980s, resulting in an approximate population of 8,000 as of 2025.[94] The community retains distinctive features like preserved open spaces and a large homeowners' association, influencing modern Minnesota suburban planning.[95]Jonathan Creek, located in Haywood County, North Carolina, is a scenic stream and the namesake of Jonathan Creek Township near Maggie Valley, known for its trout fishing and role in early settlement.[96] The creek and surrounding area derive their name from Jonathan McPeters, an early 19th-century settler who briefly resided there before relocating, highlighting the influence of individual pioneers on Appalachian place names.[97] The township, encompassing rural and suburban areas along the creek, had a population of 2,938 as of 2023, with residents primarily owning homes in a mix of wooded and agricultural landscapes.[98] No major new developments or renamings tied to "Jonathan" have occurred in U.S. geography since 2020.[99]
Science, brands, and miscellaneous
In biology, "Jonathan" refers to several notable entities. The Jonathan apple (Malus domestica 'Jonathan') is a classic American cultivar originating in the 19th century from a seedling of the Esopus Spitzenburg variety, prized for its medium-sized, bright red fruit with crisp, juicy flesh offering a balanced sweet-tart flavor suitable for fresh eating and cooking.[100] Another prominent example is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa) estimated to have hatched around 1832, making him the oldest verified living land animal at approximately 193 years old as of 2025; he resides on Saint Helena, where he has become a symbol of longevity and conservation efforts for the species.[101]Several brands bear the name Jonathan. Jonathan Adler is a luxury home decor and lifestyle brand founded in 1993 by American potter and designer Jonathan Adler, known for its modern, glamorous aesthetic featuring handcrafted ceramics, furniture, and accessories that blend mid-century modern influences with bold patterns and colors.In technology, Jonathan was the codename for an ambitious but unrealized Apple Inc. project in the late 1980s, envisioning a modular personal computer system built around a backbone bus for easy expansion with interchangeable components like processors, storage, and peripherals, powered by the Motorola 68030 chip to support business and high-end applications; the concept was ultimately shelved in favor of more integrated designs like the Macintosh II series.[102]