Jonah is of Hebrew origin, meaning 'dove'. It is popular in various forms across languages, such as Yonah in Hebrew and Yunus in Arabic. This name was borne by the prophet in the Old Testament who was swallowed by a large fish. In literature, Jonah is also the protagonist of 'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville.
The name Jonah has seen fluctuating popularity over the past few decades. It peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a high of 20 births in both 1997 and 2002. Since then, it has had several years with fewer than 15 births. However, there's been a recent resurgence since 2018, with numbers exceeding 30 births each year up until 2023. Overall, Jonah has been given to 727 newborns between 1964 and 2023.