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Jonah Name Origin: Hebrew
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Pronunciation: joh-nah
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See what 22 people think about Jonah
Jonah Name Meaning
The name Jonah is derived from the Hebrew word “Yonah” which means “dove”. It’s thought that the name is a reference to the prophet’s peaceful and gentle nature, as well as the fact that he was spared from the fish’s belly.
Origins of the Name Jonah
The name Jonah is most famously linked to the Bible story of the prophet who was swallowed by a whale. The Book of Jonah tells the tale of a man who was sent by God to preach to the city of Nineveh, but tried to flee and ended up in the belly of a great fish. After being swallowed, he prayed to God for deliverance, and was then vomited back onto dry land.
Popularity of the Name Jonah
The name Jonah has been in use since the Middle Ages, with its popularity growing steadily over the centuries. In the United States, it’s been in the top 100 names since the 1970s, and it’s currently ranked in the top 10. The name is popular around the world, with variations such as Jon, Yonah, Yonas, and Jona appearing in many languages.
Final Thoughts on the Name Jonah
Well, there you have it: the history, origin, meaning, and popularity of the name Jonah. It’s a timeless name with a powerful story behind it, and it’s no surprise that it remains a popular choice for parents today.
Infographic of Jonah name meaning, which is Meaning dove, Jonah is a Biblical name of Hebrew origins.
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Jonah Name Popularity
How popular is the name Jonah? Here’s everything we know.
Year |
Rank |
# Births |
% Births |
1910 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1911 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1912 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1913 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1914 |
1,291 |
5 |
0.0007% |
1915 |
997 |
14 |
0.0015% |
1916 |
977 |
14 |
0.0014% |
1917 |
1,231 |
7 |
0.0007% |
1918 |
1,319 |
6 |
0.0006% |
1919 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1920 |
989 |
19 |
0.0017% |
1921 |
1,263 |
9 |
0.0008% |
1922 |
1,100 |
14 |
0.0013% |
1923 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1924 |
1,263 |
10 |
0.0009% |
1925 |
1,450 |
6 |
0.0005% |
1926 |
1,419 |
6 |
0.0005% |
1927 |
1,164 |
12 |
0.0011% |
1928 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1929 |
1,152 |
11 |
0.0011% |
1930 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1931 |
1,382 |
6 |
0.0006% |
1932 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1933 |
1,251 |
6 |
0.0006% |
1934 |
1,441 |
5 |
0.0005% |
1935 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1936 |
1,418 |
5 |
0.0005% |
1937 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1938 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1939 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1940 |
1,304 |
6 |
0.0006% |
1941 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1942 |
1,482 |
5 |
0.0004% |
1943 |
1,029 |
14 |
0.0011% |
1944 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1945 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1946 |
1,373 |
5 |
0.0003% |
1947 |
1,373 |
6 |
0.0004% |
1948 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1949 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1950 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1951 |
1,290 |
7 |
0.0004% |
1952 |
1,296 |
8 |
0.0005% |
1953 |
1,153 |
12 |
0.0007% |
1954 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1955 |
1,097 |
16 |
0.0009% |
1956 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1957 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1958 |
1,547 |
5 |
0.0003% |
1959 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1960 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1961 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1962 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1963 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1964 |
1,559 |
5 |
0.0003% |
1965 |
1,282 |
9 |
0.0006% |
1966 |
— |
0 |
0% |
1967 |
1,406 |
6 |
0.0004% |
1968 |
1,302 |
10 |
0.0007% |
1969 |
1,109 |
17 |
0.0011% |
1970 |
996 |
29 |
0.0018% |
1971 |
688 |
96 |
0.0064% |
1972 |
691 |
90 |
0.0066% |
1973 |
738 |
72 |
0.0056% |
1974 |
694 |
90 |
0.0069% |
1975 |
748 |
73 |
0.0057% |
1976 |
632 |
119 |
0.0092% |
1977 |
573 |
165 |
0.0122% |
1978 |
728 |
89 |
0.0066% |
1979 |
400 |
359 |
0.0255% |
1980 |
430 |
324 |
0.0222% |
1981 |
422 |
345 |
0.0235% |
1982 |
510 |
232 |
0.0155% |
1983 |
521 |
209 |
0.0142% |
1984 |
539 |
208 |
0.014% |
1985 |
528 |
226 |
0.0149% |
1986 |
591 |
179 |
0.0119% |
1987 |
551 |
225 |
0.0147% |
1988 |
629 |
176 |
0.0113% |
1989 |
610 |
214 |
0.0133% |
1990 |
675 |
178 |
0.0107% |
1991 |
659 |
188 |
0.0115% |
1992 |
700 |
170 |
0.0107% |
1993 |
464 |
415 |
0.0266% |
1994 |
245 |
1,164 |
0.0758% |
1995 |
215 |
1,355 |
0.0899% |
1996 |
196 |
1,560 |
0.1042% |
1997 |
196 |
1,605 |
0.1085% |
1998 |
216 |
1,454 |
0.0971% |
1999 |
197 |
1,697 |
0.1133% |
2000 |
192 |
1,819 |
0.1191% |
2001 |
186 |
1,974 |
0.131% |
2002 |
166 |
2,302 |
0.1536% |
2003 |
164 |
2,431 |
0.1598% |
2004 |
177 |
2,290 |
0.1502% |
2005 |
183 |
2,210 |
0.1445% |
2006 |
170 |
2,401 |
0.1533% |
2007 |
164 |
2,505 |
0.1588% |
2008 |
136 |
2,969 |
0.1921% |
2009 |
147 |
2,712 |
0.1814% |
2010 |
143 |
2,773 |
0.1924% |
2011 |
143 |
2,857 |
0.2005% |
2012 |
128 |
2,948 |
0.2069% |
2013 |
132 |
2,891 |
0.2031% |
2014 |
138 |
2,895 |
0.1987% |
2015 |
143 |
2,897 |
0.1991% |
2016 |
150 |
2,756 |
0.1911% |
2017 |
154 |
2,494 |
0.1787% |
2018 |
145 |
2,692 |
0.1959% |
2019 |
141 |
2,653 |
0.196% |
2020 |
128 |
2,730 |
0.2145% |
2021 |
137 |
2,704 |
0.2212% |
2022 |
135 |
2,724 |
0.2065% |
District of Columbia (DC)
Data via SSA.gov.
Names Like Jonah
If you like Jonah, you’ll love these other names like Jonah.
What names are variants of Jonah?
Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Jonah.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Jonas
|
Dove
|
Hebrew
|
|
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Jonasco
|
Dove
|
Hebrew
|
|
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What names sound like Jonah?
If you like how Jonah sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Jonah.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Jon
|
God is gracious
|
English
|
|
|
Jona
|
God is gracious
|
Hebrew
|
|
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Jonn
|
|
English
|
|
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Jonny
|
|
English
|
|
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Lists With Jonah
Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Jonah.
Siblings of Jonah
Mamas with kids named Jonah also have kids with these names.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Ezra
|
Help
|
Hebrew
|
|
|
Nicolas
|
Victory of the people
|
Greek
|
|
|
Avalyn
|
Beautiful Bird
|
English
|
|
|
Zachariah
|
The Lord recalled
|
Hebrew
|
|
|
Gabriel
|
God is my strength
|
Hebrew
|
|
|