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Aaron Name Meaning, Origins & History

Aaron

Pronunciation: AIR-uhn / AR-uhn

Meaning Exalted, on high Origin Hebrew Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#80
TREND
1
GIRLS RANK
#6,546
TREND
5,580
Peak Years
1989, 1981, 1990
Lowest Years
1896, 1891, 1899
Energy Archetype
Powerful & Complete

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Aaron in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Aaron

  • An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 614,411 boys named Aaron from 1880 through 2025.
  • Decades of popularity: Aaron stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 58 consecutive years, from 1968 through 2025.
  • Still popular, but losing ground: Aaron's rank fell 50 places between 1995 and 2025, while remaining in the top 100.
  • More than 618 thousand babies named Aaron: U.S. records list 618,805 babies given the name Aaron from 1880 through 2025. Even 4,394 girls received the name Aaron - about 1 girl for every 140 boys.

What Does the Name Aaron Mean?

Aaron is a masculine given name derived from the Hebrew name Aharon (אַהֲרֹן). The meaning of the Hebrew name is uncertain. A traditional explanation connects it with Hebrew har (הַר), "mountain," and gives the sense "mountain of strength" or "high mountain," but the connection is not linguistically secure and is often treated as a customary gloss rather than a literal etymology. Another traditional gloss, "enlightened," links the name to Hebrew or (אוֹר), "light," though the consonants of the two names do not match; this is a symbolic association, not a demonstrated derivation. Some scholars have proposed an Egyptian origin for Aharon, but no Egyptian etymology has been generally accepted.

Aaron Name History & Origins

The name is known from the Hebrew Bible, where Aaron, or Aharon (אַהֲרֹן), is the son of Amram and Jochebed, the older brother of Moses and Miriam, and the first high priest of Israel. The biblical text does not explain the name's meaning, which suggests that its origin was already unclear to the ancient writers. The Greek Septuagint transliterated the name as Aarōn (Ἀαρών), and the Latin Vulgate used Aaron; this Latin form is the basis of the name in western European languages.

In Jewish tradition, Aaron is central to the hereditary priesthood: the Kohanim are traditionally traced to him, and his name appears throughout the Torah and in later rabbinic literature. In Christianity, the New Testament refers to Aaron in Luke and Hebrews, where he is treated as a priestly forerunner of Christ. In Islam, he is Harun (هَارُون), a prophet and the brother of Musa, mentioned in the Quran. The name thus entered Greek, Latin, Arabic, and later the vernacular languages of Europe.

In medieval Europe, Aaron was used as a personal name among Jews and, in some places, Christians. Aaron of Lincoln, a Jewish financier in 12th-century England, is one documented bearer. In the early modern period, the name appeared in English literature as Aaron the Moor in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, a dramatic use rather than an origin. After the Protestant Reformation, English-speaking Protestants increasingly gave biblical names to their children, and Aaron was among those that remained in use. It also has related forms in other languages, including Spanish Aarón, Portuguese Aarão, Italian Aronne, and French Aaron.

How Popular is the Name Aaron?

Aaron remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1968 to 2025. Its highest annual birth count was in 1989, and people born that year turn 37 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Aaron

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Aaron Shapes Your Personality and Life?

Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Aaron's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Aaron's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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