Fun Facts About the Name Yona
- 823 babies named Yona: U.S. records list 823 babies given the name Yona from 1880 through 2025. Even 341 girls received the name Yona.
What Does the Name Yona Mean?
Yona is a Hebrew name meaning "dove." It is a transliteration variant of Yonah (יוֹנָה), the Hebrew form of the prophet Jonah. The Hebrew word yonah is the ordinary word for the bird, so the meaning is literal rather than a later symbolic interpretation. In Cherokee, yona (ᏲᎾ) means "bear"; this is an independent word name, not a development from the Hebrew name.
Yona Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name Yona is a transliteration of יוֹנָה (Yonah), the name of the prophet in the Hebrew Bible. He is called Yonah son of Amittai in 2 Kings 14:25 and Jonah 1:1, and the Book of Jonah tells of his flight from God's command to preach in Nineveh, his being swallowed by a great fish, and his eventual delivery. The Greek form Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas) and the Latin Jonas led to the English Jonah; Yona keeps the Hebrew form and is used as a Hebrew given name.
The Cherokee word yona (ᏲᎾ) is an independent source for the name. It belongs to the Iroquoian language family and is not related to the Hebrew Yona or to the biblical prophet.
How Popular is the Name Yona?
Yona has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #3,675 in 2024.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,537 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #7,212 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #11,119 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #6,959 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2021 | #8,952 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #6,906 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #9,705 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #9,784 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #9,909 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #14,277 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #11,808 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #6,974 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2011 | #19,502 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #16,923 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #12,405 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #20,397 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,603 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #11,392 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #16,411 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #12,744 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #13,483 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #14,998 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #16,906 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #11,767 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #15,772 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #12,485 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #8,214 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #10,384 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #11,956 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #11,319 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #10,601 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #9,792 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #6,551 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #7,382 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #7,064 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #4,776 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #6,559 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #6,531 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #6,380 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1924 | #4,429 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,131 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #3,675 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2023 | #4,211 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2022 | #4,695 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #4,771 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2020 | #5,031 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #5,798 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #4,913 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #3,987 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2016 | #5,550 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #9,539 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #5,474 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #5,649 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #3,800 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #5,196 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #5,241 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #6,421 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #7,171 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #5,654 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #7,980 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #5,868 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #6,959 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #7,233 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #7,624 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #6,435 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #10,323 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #11,572 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #7,539 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #6,091 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #10,139 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,416 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #8,475 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,710 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #7,356 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Yona Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual. You hate bondage in any form. You have love of beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You are willing to take spiritual matters on faith instead of subjecting them to mental analysis. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Yona's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Yona's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.