Boy name · Hebrew
Jonah
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a doveJonah is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "a dove". It is used in English and Hebrew.
- Meaning
- A dove
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #128 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Jonah
As a boy's name, Jonah comes from Hebrew and means "a dove". It is used in English and Hebrew.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Jonah on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Jonah on 5 lists.
“Dove; Hebrew. Prophet swallowed by a great fish”
From Biblical names, names of prophets and kings
“Dove; Hebrew. Prophet of the great fish”
From Boy middle names, biblical middle names for boys
“Dove; Hebrew. The prophet swallowed by a great fish”
From Classic boy names, classic biblical boy names
“Hebrew for dove, gentle and short”
From Priest names, priestly names from Latin, Greek and Hebrew
“A dove; Hebrew, the prophet swallowed by a great fish”
From Cute boy names, cute biblical boy names
How popular is Jonah?
- US rank in 2025
- #128
- 2,828 babies, 1,656 per million boys
- Best rank
- #124 in 2023
- Most babies: 2,981 in 2008
- Babies since 1880
- At least 85,283
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 72 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 57 per million |
| 1900s | 52 per million |
| 1910s | 33 per million |
| 1920s | 30 per million |
| 1930s | 24 per million |
| 1940s | 17 per million |
| 1950s | 15 per million |
| 1960s | 16 per million |
| 1970s | 107 per million |
| 1980s | 157 per million |
| 1990s | 517 per million |
| 2000s | 1,187 per million |
| 2010s | 1,492 per million |
| 2020s | 1,634 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150 | #154 | #145 | #139 | #128 | #138 | #135 | #124 | #126 | #128 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Jonah
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- JonasA dove (Hebrew, boy)
Names spelled like Jonah
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Jonah
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
Jonah: common questions
What does the name Jonah mean?
Jonah comes from Hebrew and means "a dove". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Jonah a boy or girl name?
Jonah is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 39 girls and 2,828 boys in the US were named Jonah, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Jonah come from?
Jonah comes from Hebrew and means "a dove". Today it is used in English and Hebrew.
How popular is the name Jonah?
Jonah ranked #128 in the US in 2025, with 2,828 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Jonah?
Forms of Jonah with the same meaning and origin include Jonas (German).
What middle names go with Jonah?
Middle names that flow well with Jonah include Archer, Carter, Constantine, Cyprian and Florian. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.