Jonas

Dove, in the biblical Jonah tradition.

Jonas is a masculine name with Hebrew roots: in the biblical Jonah tradition, its meaning is ‘dove’. The form comes through Greek Ionas. The dove can suggest peace, but ‘peace-bringer’ is an interpretation of the image rather than a literal translation. There is one useful exception to that family tree: Lithuanian Jonas is a form of John. The same spelling can therefore carry a different naming history. German Jonas begins like the English word ‘yes’: /ˈjoː.nas/. English commonly uses /ˈdʒoʊ.nəs/, with the sound at the start of ‘jam’. The rounded opening and flowing n give the name a gentle quality, while the final s gives it definition. It may appeal if you like biblical names with an everyday, unceremonious feel.

Etymology: From Greek Ionas, a form of the Hebrew name Yonah. Lithuanian Jonas has a separate connection to John.