יונה
Yona means “dove”
Yona is a name for girls and boys, of Biblical origin.
Jonah was the prophet swallowed by a great fish; his book is read on Yom Kippur.
- In Hebrew
- יונה
- In English letters
- Yona
- Other English spellings
- Jonah, Yonah, Jona
- Meaning
- Dove
- Origin
- Biblical
- Given to
- Girls and boys
- Gematria value
- 71
4,839 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Yona.
- 2,425 of them are women and girls, and 2,414 are men and boys.
- 246 of them were born in 1950, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 219, against 213 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is about the same.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Yona is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling יונה today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 2,425 | 7 | 525 of 678 |
| Jewish boys | 2,414 | 44 | 225 of 541 |
| Muslim girls | 8 | 0 | – |
| Druze girls | 5 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Yona ranked 525 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Yona in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Yona.
What does the name Yona mean?
Yona means “dove”. Yona is a name for girls and boys, of Biblical origin. Jonah was the prophet swallowed by a great fish; his book is read on Yom Kippur.
Is Yona a boy's name or a girl's name?
Yona is used for both girls and boys. Of the 4,839 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 2,425 are women and girls and 2,414 are men and boys.
How do you write Yona in Hebrew?
Yona is written יונה in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Yona?
4,839 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Yona today. The most were born in 1950. In 2024, Yona ranked 525 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.