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The short answer
Jonah is a masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "dove", from the Hebrew Yona. Behind the Name identifies him as the Old Testament prophet swallowed by a fish: commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, Jonah fled by boat, was thrown overboard by the sailors during a storm, and emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later. His story was popular in the Middle Ages, when the Hellenized form Jonas was occasionally used in England; the form Jonah did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. It is pronounced JO-nə and ranked #128 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name gives Jonah as "from the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning 'dove'", with the root listed simply as yona. The entry retells the Book of Jonah: God commanded Jonah to preach in Nineveh, he fled by boat instead, the sailors threw him overboard in a storm, he was swallowed by a fish and emerged alive and repentant three days later. On usage it states that the story was popular in the Middle Ages and that the Hellenized form Jonas was occasionally used in England, while Jonah itself became common only after the Protestant Reformation. Forms in other languages include Jonas (Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish), Giona (Italian), Jonás (Spanish), Yunus (Arabic, Turkish and others) and Yona or Yonah (Hebrew).
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | יוֹנָה (Yona) | dove |
Popularity
Jonah ranked #128 for boys in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration). Behind the Name notes that the spelling Jonah became common in England only after the Protestant Reformation; no other national rankings were checked in this pass.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #128 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Jonas, Jonás, Jonáš, Giona, Joonas, Jonasz, Yona, Yonah, Yunus, Younes
Related names: Jonas, Yunus, Iona
What the name feels like
Jonah is a soft two-syllable name with an open vowel ending, which gives it a gentler sound than many Old Testament names. Its meaning, "dove", matches that softness, and the fish story makes it one of the few biblical names most children already know.
Style tags: biblical, two syllables, nature meaning, soft sound, traditional
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact. Behind the Name lists no diminutives for Jonah; the nicknames list is intentionally empty.
If you like this name
Names that share Jonah's soft biblical sound or its Old Testament origin (editorial suggestions).
Similar by sound
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jonah mean?
Jonah means "dove". Behind the Name derives it from the Hebrew name Yona.
What is the story of Jonah in the Bible?
According to Behind the Name's summary of the Book of Jonah, God commanded Jonah to preach in Nineveh; he fled by boat, was thrown overboard in a storm, was swallowed by a fish, and emerged alive and repentant three days later.
How popular is Jonah?
Jonah ranked #128 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data. Jonas is the Hellenized form of the same name.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Jonah — supports etymology, biblical bearer, usage history, variants, pronunciation.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
