Jonas (name)

Jonas
Pronunciation /dʒoʊnəs/
German: [ˈjoːnas]
Swedish: [juːnas]
Spanish: [xoːnaz]
Lithuanian: [ˈjonɐs]
Gender Male
Origin
Word/name Hebrew
Meaning Dove; peaceful being, destroyer, he who oppresses, accomplishing, and a gift from God
Other names
Related names Jonah, Jones, John, Joonas, Yonah, Yunus, Jonnas
Is also an anagram of the name Jason.

Jonas is a common male name in many Western world countries. It is primarily used as a first name, but also occurs as a surname. It is particularly frequent in Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa, and the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden; it is also the most common name in Lithuania, however, in Lithuania, the name Jonas is derived from the Hebrew Yohanan as opposed to Jonah. Its widespread use and popularity has roots in its Jewish and Christian origins. As a surname, it is often Jewish, whilst as a first name it is mostly used in countries where Christianity is the main religion. In Turkish, Arabic and the Muslim world the equivalent name is Yunus (یونس) or Younes. In North America the name found popularity among Métis and Aboriginals in the Northwest.

Greek etymology

Jonas possibly originates from the Greek word Ίωνας (Ionas), a member of the Greek tribe (Ιωνες) Iones or Ionians, who colonized western Asia. It is the Greek transliteration of "Jonah" (as in the Old Testament Book of Jonah).

Meaning

The Hebrew version of the name means Dove; That is because word 'jonas' comes from the Greek word οιωνός, (pronounced: e-oh-nos) which means "sign", because in ancient Greece it was believed that birds were sent by gods as a sign to people. From this it is assumed that the name Jonas means a peaceful being. As a variation of Jonah, it can be considered to mean 'accomplishing', and a 'gift from God'.

Notable people with the given name Jonas

Notable people with the surname Jonas

Fictional characters

Male variants

Contemporary use of the name Jonas

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