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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Younes

Younes

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced YOO-noos /ˈjuː.nus/Medium

Meaning: DoveMedium

In 30 seconds: Younes is an Arabic name meaning 'dove', a form of the name behind Jonah.
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Origin MediumArabic, Persian
MeaningDove
U.S. rank (2025)#2143 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births68 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 645

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 202519992025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Younes comes from Arabic and means dove, the same name carried into English as Jonah. It is widely used across North Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, with spellings like Younis, Yunus, and Yonas.

The dove meaning gives it a gentle sense that contrasts with its strong presence in football: it is borne by Younes Kaboul (born 1986), a France international defender, and Younes Belhanda (born 1990), a Morocco midfielder at the 2018 World Cup.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Younes is 'dove', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Younes β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

YounisYunusYonasYunisJonah

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Younes Kaboul (1986-present)
    French former professional footballer; centre-back for Tottenham Hotspur and the France national team.
  • β˜…Younes Belhanda (1990-present)
    French-born Moroccan professional footballer; attacking midfielder who played for Morocco at the 2018 World Cup.

If you like Younes…

Yunusβ€” a listed variation, the classical Arabic spelling of the same 'dove' name
Jonahβ€” a listed variation, the English form sharing the same origin and meaning
Younisβ€” a listed variation with a near-identical spelling and sound
Idreesβ€” shares the -es ending
Faresβ€” a fellow Arabic choice

Explore names like Younes

By themearabicpersian
By meaningBird

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Younes mean?

Younes is usually explained as meaning 'dove' and is most often linked with Arabic tradition.

How do you pronounce Younes?

It's commonly said YOO-noos /ˈjuː.nus/.

Is Younes a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Younes?

In 2024, Younes ranked #2183 in the U.S. for boys, with 67 births recorded.

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