יוֹנָה
Yóna, Yonáfeminine, masculine
The English name Jonah can be written in Hebrew as יוֹנָה (Yóna, Yoná). If unsure, use יוֹנָה. Wiktionary also lists ג׳ונה (jóna).
Meaning: given name (name)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| יוֹנָה | Yóna, Yoná | feminine, masculine |
| ג׳ונה | jóna | masculine |
יוֹנָה is a given name in Hebrew.
What does it mean word for word?
The name יוֹנָה literally means 'dove'.
Which one should you use?
יוֹנָה is the traditional Hebrew name, whereas ג׳ונה is a phonetic transliteration of the English name 'Jonah' used to follow Western spelling conventions or to distinguish it from the biblical name.
How do you pronounce it?
Yóna, Yoná
Did you know?
- The spelling יוֹנָה uses the letter 'He' at the end, which in ancient Hebrew often indicated a feminine noun, even though the biblical prophet was male.
- The word יוֹנָה is the root for the Hebrew word for 'pigeon' as well, since both birds are linguistically the same in the language.
- Because the name is a common noun, a person named יוֹנָה might find their name used in wordplay or puns regarding birds in Hebrew literature.
Examples in context
- הנני יודיע לכם על קבלתו של יוֹנָה לתפקיד החדשI hereby inform you of Jonah's acceptance of the new position
- יוֹנָה הוא חבר שלי.yona hu haver sheli.Jonah is my friend.
- האם יוֹנָה כאן?ha'im yona kan?Is Jonah here?
Example conversation
Itay and Maya are talking about their classmate.
- איתי Itayראית את יוֹנָה היום?Ra'it et Yonah hayom?Did you see Jonah today?
- מאיה Mayaלא, לא ראיתי אותו.Lo, lo ra'iti oto.No, I didn't see him.
- איתי Itayאולי יוֹנָה חולה היום.Ulai Yonah chole hayom.Maybe Jonah is sick today.
- מאיה Mayaזה יכול להיות.Ze yachol lihyot.That could be.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jonah” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
