Jonah

Jonah represents a predominant English form of the biblical name Jona or Jonas.

What does the name Jonah mean?

The first name Jonah is often translated as 'the dove', but is frequently interpreted as 'the bringer of peace'. This is due to the fact that the dove is considered a symbol of peace in the Bible and also points to the Holy Spirit. The name has its origin in the Ancient Hebrew term jônâ or yônā (יוֹנָה), which also means 'the dove'. Additionally, there may be a connection to the Ancient Greek oiōnós (οἰωνός), which means 'omen', 'premonition', or 'sign'. There could also be a relationship to the Greek expression Iōnâs (Ἰωνᾶς), which means 'the Ionian'. The form Jonah made its way into German naming in the 1980s. Other variants of the name include Jonass, Jonasz, Ionas, Joona, Joonas, Giona, Yonas, Yonaz, and Yonah. There are also alternative forms such as Iona, Yona, Yonina, and Yonit. In the Bible, it is mentioned that Jonah's presence on a ship brought misfortune, as it sank. Additionally, Jonah was swallowed by a whale, which spat him out after three days. The name is also that of one of the 12 minor prophets in the Tanakh.

Where does the name Jonah come from?

Jonah is a masculine first name of Ancient Hebrew origin that carries the meaning 'the dove'. The word roots are jônâ or yônā from Ancient Hebrew or oiōnós from Ancient Greek, meaning 'omen', 'premonition', 'sign'. The languages include English, Irish, Scottish, and Swiss.

How do you pronounce Jonah?

The pronunciation of the name Jonah is two syllables and is usually pronounced in German as 'Jo-nah' [ˈdʒoʊna] or Germanized as [ˈjoːna], with the first syllable stressed. The gentle, open ending of the name gives it a certain lightness. Jonah feels international and modern – harmonious, lively, and present.

When is the name day of Jonah?

The name day for Jonah is celebrated on September 21 and 22.

Popularity

In Germany, Jonah is one of the highly regarded first names. Currently, it ranks 40th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 2023 at 37th place. Over the last ten years, the name Jonah has been given approximately 14,000 times, placing it 50th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 58th. On a global level, the popularity of the name is evident in various countries.

Nicknames & pet names

Janosch / Jo / Joenii / Joh / Jojo / Jon / Jonchen / Joner / Joni / Jonny / Jony / Jöni Böni / Jüntschgi / Nona / Toni

Similar first names

Famous people

• Jonah Barrington (squash player from England)
• Jonah Blechman (actor from America)
• Jonah Bobo (American actor)
• Jonah Bokaer (artist from the USA)
• Jonah David (musician from the USA)
• Jonah Edelman (American scholar)
• Jonah Gogol (bishop from Poland)
• Jonah Goldberg (* 1969), American publicist and commentator)
• Jonah Goldman (American baseball player)
• Jonah Hill (actor)
• Jonah Jenkins (singer from America)
• Jonah Jones (American musician)
• Jonah Keri (Canadian writer)
• Jonah Koslen (American singer)
• Jonah Lomu (New Zealand rugby player)
• Jonah Lotan (Israeli actor)
• Jonah Lwanga (bishop)
• Jonah Marais (singer)
• Jonah Matranga (American rock musician)
• Jonah Nickerson (American baseball player)