Yonah comes from Hebrew and means 'dove', the same name carried by the prophet known in English as Jonah. It connects to a family of related forms across Hebrew and Arabic.

Those relatives include the Arabic Yunus and Younes along with Yonas, all pointing back to the same dove imagery.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Yonah is 'dove', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Yonah — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

YonasYounisYunusYounesYunis

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Yonah…

Yunus— The Arabic form sharing Yonah's 'dove' meaning.

Younes— A related Arabic form of the same name.

Micaiah— a similarly popular pick

Aziah— a similarly popular pick

Koah— a fellow Hebrew choice

Explore names like Yonah

By themehebrew unisex nature

By meaningBird

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Yonah mean?

Yonah is usually explained as meaning 'dove' and is most often linked with Hebrew tradition.

How do you pronounce Yonah?

It's commonly said yoh-NA /jo.ˈna/.

Is Yonah a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Yonah is used as a boy name.

How popular is Yonah?

In 2024, Yonah ranked #2938 in the U.S. for boys, with 43 births recorded.