Jonas
YOH-nas /ˈjoʊ.nəs/
Meaning of Jonas
Jonas is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew יוֹנָה (Yonah) meaning 'dove.' In the Hebrew Bible, Jonah is the prophet swallowed by a great fish (or whale in popular retelling) after fleeing God's command to preach to Nineveh. The dove is a symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit in Christianity. Jonas is the dominant form in Germanic and Scandinavian registries while Jonah is preferred in English.
How to pronounce Jonas
In German: YOH-nas (initial j sounds like English y). In English, both YOH-nas and JOH-nas are used.
Current popularity of Jonas
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (GfdS) | 2024 | #8 |
| NO | 2024 | #3 |
| SE | 2024 | #9 |
Notable bearers of Jonas
Jonah (Hebrew Bible prophet); Jonas Brothers (music group); Jonas Kaufmann (operatic tenor).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Jonas — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31