Jonah
From the Hebrew יוֹנָה (yônâh, “dove”).
Every Jonah since 1880 — 86,075 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jonah
Jonah is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #128 in 2025 with 2,828 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 86,075 American babies have been named Jonah. Its peak came in 2008, when 2,998 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jonah stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jonah year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | #3,803 | 2,828 | #128 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5,216 | 2,893 | #126 |
| 2023 | 33 | #4,318 | 2,900 | #124 |
| 2022 | 18 | #6,564 | 2,754 | #135 |
| 2021 | 28 | #4,771 | 2,739 | #138 |
| 2020 | 22 | #5,555 | 2,821 | #128 |
| 2019 | 21 | #5,880 | 2,693 | #139 |
| 2018 | 36 | #4,031 | 2,725 | #145 |
| 2017 | 23 | #5,583 | 2,524 | #154 |
| 2016 | 26 | #5,207 | 2,778 | #150 |
| 2015 | 24 | #5,561 | 2,913 | #143 |
| 2014 | 26 | #5,220 | 2,920 | #138 |
| 2013 | 18 | #6,865 | 2,903 | #132 |
| 2012 | 17 | #7,281 | 2,955 | #128 |
| 2011 | 23 | #5,827 | 2,867 | #144 |
| 2010 | 23 | #5,869 | 2,775 | #143 |
| 2009 | 17 | #7,503 | 2,718 | #147 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,559 | 2,981 | #136 |
| 2007 | 26 | #5,446 | 2,510 | #165 |
| 2006 | 21 | #6,234 | 2,411 | #170 |
| 2005 | 17 | #6,978 | 2,222 | #184 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6,345 | 2,296 | #177 |
| 2003 | 15 | #7,378 | 2,431 | #164 |
| 2002 | 20 | #5,765 | 2,313 | #167 |
| 2001 | 15 | #7,117 | 1,982 | #187 |
| 2000 | 18 | #6,072 | 1,833 | #192 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,259 | 1,371 | #215 |
| 1990 | 7 | #10,702 | 239 | #654 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,213 | 267 | #531 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,700 | 394 | #412 |
| 1975 | — | — | 131 | #723 |
| 1970 | — | — | 70 | #963 |
| 1965 | — | — | 33 | #1,346 |
| 1960 | — | — | 28 | #1,541 |
| 1955 | — | — | 43 | #1,144 |
| 1950 | — | — | 22 | #1,589 |
| 1945 | — | — | 30 | #1,213 |
| 1940 | — | — | 29 | #1,266 |
| 1935 | — | — | 27 | #1,311 |
| 1930 | — | — | 19 | #1,729 |
| 1925 | — | — | 33 | #1,270 |
| 1920 | — | — | 47 | #1,012 |
| 1915 | — | — | 33 | #1,136 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,509 |
| 1905 | — | — | 7 | #1,034 |
| 1900 | — | — | 11 | #817 |
| 1895 | — | — | 7 | #935 |
| 1890 | — | — | 9 | #705 |
| 1885 | — | — | 16 | #469 |
| 1880 | — | — | 8 | #714 |
Famous people named Jonah
- Jonah Religious figure · -850–-810
- Jonah Hill Actor · b. 1983
- Jonah Lomu Rugby player · 1975–2015
- Jonah Falcon Actor · b. 1970
- Jonah Bobo Actor · b. 1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jonah mean?
From the Hebrew יוֹנָה (yônâh, “dove”).
How popular is the name Jonah in 2025?
Jonah ranked #128 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,828 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jonah?
86,075 babies have been named Jonah in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jonah most popular?
Jonah peaked in 2008, when 2,998 newborns received the name.
Is Jonah a boy or girl name?
Jonah is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Jonah rising or falling?
Jonah has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Jonah?
Well-known people named Jonah include Jonah (religious figure), Jonah Hill (actor), Jonah Lomu (rugby player).