Jonah is a moderately popular boys' name in United States, ranking #128 in 2025 with 2,828 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2008 with 2,981 births ranking #136. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 80.2%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 604 boys born was named Jonah. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.
Jonah is a Hebrew biblical name meaning "dove". It is soft in image but strong in usage, which helps explain its wide modern appeal.
The name is best known from the biblical prophet Jonah and has remained in use across Jewish and Christian tradition. In recent years it has become one of the most successful gentle-sounding boys' names.