boy's name
Jonah
JOH-nuh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 104,255
the United States
#128
2025 births
Jonah is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "dove," from Yonah. He is the prophet swallowed by a great fish after trying to flee God's instruction — and the book is notable for ending with God arguing on behalf of the enemy city.
- Jonah is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2008, when 2,998 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,156 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Jonah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 79 |
| 1890s | 65 |
| 1900s | 71 |
| 1910s | 222 |
| 1920s | 329 |
| 1930s | 252 |
| 1940s | 249 |
| 1950s | 298 |
| 1960s | 309 |
| 1970s | 1,789 |
| 1980s | 2,941 |
| 1990s | 10,199 |
| 2000s | 23,882 |
| 2010s | 28,290 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 17,100 |
What Jonah means
Jonah means dove, from the Hebrew yonah. The bird carried associations of peace and of the messenger, from the dove that returned to Noah's ark with an olive leaf.
Where Jonah comes from
Jonah comes from the Hebrew Yonah, meaning dove. The Book of Jonah is unusual among the prophetic books: Jonah is instructed to preach to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria and Israel's enemy, refuses, flees by sea, is thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish — the text says fish, not whale — and after finally delivering the message, sulks when the city repents and is spared. The book closes with God asking whether he should not have pity on a city of a hundred and twenty thousand people. It is read in full on Yom Kippur. The name entered English use after the Reformation.
Jonah in use
The Hebrew text says a great fish, not a whale — the whale is a later translation convention.
How popular is Jonah?
In 2025, Jonah was given to 2,867 babies in the United States, ranking #128 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Jonah is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Jonah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Jonah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Jonah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Jonah
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Jonah in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Jonah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Jonah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Jonah
What does the name Jonah mean?
Jonah means "dove," from the Hebrew Yonah.
Was Jonah swallowed by a whale?
The Hebrew says a great fish; the whale is a later translation convention.
Is Jonah the same as Jonas?
Yes. Jonas is the Greek and Latin form of the same name.
How popular is the name Jonah?
In 2025, Jonah was given to 2,867 babies in the United States, ranking #128 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Jonah a girl's or a boy's name?
Jonah is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Jonah?
Jonah has 2 syllables.
When was Jonah most popular?
Jonah peaked in 2008, when 2,998 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Jonah?
Jonah is usually shortened to Jo.
Is Jonah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Jonah currently ranks #49 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.