Gideon
/G-IH-D-IY-AH-N/
Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness
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This page tells you what Gideon means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Meaning & origin
Yes — Gideon is a Jewish boy name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness”. It also appears in Christian tradition.
Gideon is a boy's name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Jewish families. The name means "Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness" and belongs to the Courage cluster — names for children who will grow into bold, fearless hearts.
Beyond its Jewish heritage, Gideon is also used in Christian traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among American, European, MiddleEastern, Israeli families, Gideon carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
Gideon's Hebrew roots
Many Jewish names carry Hebrew roots and a story from the Torah or tradition (Hebrew). Gideon means “Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness” — a name with heritage that runs deep.
NameRoot shows the lineage. See Gideon's Hebrew roots, its meaning, and how it scores for your family.
See Gideon's full reading →What does Gideon's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Gideon resonates in either tradition.
Gideon's destiny number is 9 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Gideon's full reading →
Does Gideon go with your family's names?
Gideon breaks into 6 sounds: /G-IH-D-IY-AH-N/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Gideon sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Gideon beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Gideon — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Gideon
If Gideon resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Jewish boy names, common in American families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Jewish boy names from the Courage cluster
Names that sound similar
Jewish boy names that open with the same syllables as Gideon
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Gideon — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Gideon
What does the name Gideon mean?
Gideon means "Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness." It is a boy name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Jewish families.
Is Gideon a boy or girl name?
Gideon is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Gideon?
Gideon is of Hebrew origin, used in Jewish, Christian traditions, commonly among American, European, MiddleEastern families.
Is Gideon a Jewish name?
Yes. Gideon is a boy name traditionally used in Jewish families, of Hebrew origin. It also appears in Christian tradition.
What does Gideon mean in Hebrew?
Gideon originates from Hebrew, where it means "Feller of trees, the mighty warrior, the judge who defeated a vast army with three hundred men and a handful of torches — Gideon is God's unlikely champion in the Book of Judges, a fearful farmer whom an angel addressed as mighty warrior before he had done anything mighty. His name carries the promise that courage is not the absence of fear but the decision to act despite it, and that God's strength is perfected in human weakness."
What are common nicknames for Gideon?
Common short forms of Gideon include Gide, Gidi.
What is the numerology of Gideon?
Gideon has a Pythagorean destiny number of 9 — compassion and humanitarian service.
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