Jonah

Jonah - A very unique male name

Jonah appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #1404. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Jonah and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Jonah? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Jonah. The baby boy name Jonah was given to 2,818 baby boys in 2025, ranking #128 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 520 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Jonah peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 124.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Jonah, 1-5?

Jonah is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Jonah is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #68 - and is the least popular in Oregon at position #226.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Jonah is where you live.

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Jonah origin and meaning

Hebrew, Yonah

'Dove'

Jonah is the English form of the Hebrew Yonah, the prophet swallowed by a great fish in the Book of Jonah. Long a quiet biblical name, it settled into steady US use in the 2000s and held exactly at #128 in both 2020 and 2025.

Attested etymology

Jonah is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Jonah, pop culture references for the name Jonah and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Jonah

We've found the following names that sound similar to Jonah, sorted by popularity.

John / Jason / Juan / Johnny / Jackson / Jimmy / Jon / Jim / Jaxon / Jimmie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Jonah

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Jonah a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Jonah?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

JOH-nah · /ˈdʒoʊnə/

Around the world

• Jona (German) — A German form of Jonah
• Yonah (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form

Spellings and nicknames

• Jona — A short international spelling in US data

Famous bearers

• Jonah — Hebrew prophet of the Book of Jonah (Biblical) Historical
• Jonah Hill — Actor and filmmaker, born Jonah Hill Feldstein and known as Jonah Hill (b. 1983) Contemporary
• Jonah Lomu — New Zealand rugby player who transformed the game as a winger (1975–2015) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalClassic

Why parents choose it

Jonah is a gentle biblical name — softer than Joshua or Joseph, with a calm, thoughtful feel. Its flat, steady ranking makes it a safe, unfashionable-in-a-good-way choice.

Worth knowing

• The biblical Jonah is also slang for a jinx on ships — an old, minor association
• Can be misheard as Jonas or Johan