Would you use a name with a 'bad' meaning?

I wouldn't and have been put off Seth for that reason. I wouldn't want a name with such a meaning myself and there are lots of trinkets for kids/teens with name meanings on so it would come up.

How about Josiah, Joel, Elijah or Isaac? - I've not looked up meanings!

Dh and I were discussing that very name (jonah) today. I think the fact that the meaning is so well known puts me off tbh. Annoying as I really like the name.

I wouldn't because I think that the child would be interested at some point in the meaning of the name, and might feel a bit weird or sad that we picked one that meant something bad.

I have a Claudia
I have an Amelia - which means something about missing limbs (I found out on MN)
I would like Cassandra for DC3

My name means Princess - still bloody skint and chubby though with a distinct lack of jewels.

I wouldn't, because to me a name is about more than just how it sounds or looks. The history of it, how it came about and what it means is fundamental. We rejected a few names we otherwise liked because of negative meanings (eg Rebecca- sounds beautiful but means 'a noose', Jacob - 'supplanter')

If the meaning really doesn't bother you at all, then fine, but for me, where a name comes from and what it means does matter

It would put me off tbh. I would be worried that in darker moments my DS might feel that he was a bringer of bad luck!

OTOH, my name (which is fairly common) means "noose" or "heifer"!! I wasn't best pleased when I found that out when I was little, but it hasn't made me totally hate my name!

It helps that I know my parents named me that name after historical Welsh riots so I ignore the traditional meaning of the name.

(Points for those of you who now know what my name is! )

I would use Jonah, I would give Judas a body swerve though. Likewise Jezebel.

I wouldn't use Damian, Cain, or Judas, but I think Jonah would be fine. :)

I don't understand why people do this, when there are so many lovely names about.

I am constantly baffled by people call their children Cain, for example.

Doesn't seem to have brought Jonah Hill any harm.

No I wouldn't use it. Its a nice name and I didn't know, but other people obviously do so no I wouldn;t saddle him with that.

Names don't apply their meaning to the bearer!

I have a friend called Claudia who cycles 20 miles to work each way and mountain bikes at weekends - anything but lame!

My name means 'noble and trustworthy' . I'd like to think that I am, but to do with mu upbringing, which would not have been different if I'd another name.

And I know a very ungraceful Grace!

Jonah is a nice name, I'd use it if I were you. I heard one in the playground yesterday, with brothers Moses and Noah!

I think Jonah is a great name and the superstition around it wouldn't bother me. If you like it then go for it

My immediate thought on hearing Jonah is bad luck, but I was brought up in quite a religious family.

I'm not particularly concerned with the etymological meaning of names, but some have very very strong associations that I'd find it hard not to think of. I wouldn't chose Pandora or Jezebel for example.

The sailor / ship association is from the Bible, Jonah was swallowed by a whale and that's what I would think. And I'm a confirmed atheist.

Nope. It's the surest way to cut down a huge list of possible names - take out all the ones with bad or odd meanings and see what's left!

Having said that, I like Jonah and have never heard of the bad-luck associations before. 'Dove' is not a bad meaning - I would associate that with a peaceful child.

This may reassure you, joinscotland. Triste does mean sad in Spanish, but I have a friend who lives in spain with her Spanish husband and their son is named Tristan, and no one thinks negatively about it.

I have heard that "Tristan" comes from the word "triste" which means sad. We named our son that anyway. Everyone who knows him says he is the happiest child they know. A child isn't a name - a name is only part of who they are, and become.

It wouldn't put me off.

Yes I would, Claudia for instance.

To me, meaning is very important, regardless of whether others know what the name means or not. The only exception to this is when you're honouring family members or other people.

In the case of Jonah, if you are happy with the biblical connection, then it's fine. If he's likely to come into contact with lots of sailors, it might be less suitable, but otherwise I think you could probably get away without comment.

Oh my. I like it, but i also like judas but i cant use that for obvious reasons.

I would not use that, so many other names you will like but now you have seen it. Its put you off a bit?

Jonah being associated with bad luck would put me off.

I actively avoided names that had negative associations / meanings, such as Jonah, Cain, Hector when choosing a name for DS.

I'd use Jonah, as it's just superstition attached to the name and not the actual name meaning itself... and as HerRoyalNotness says, the story turns out fine for Jonah himself. That said, I really like Tristan but vetoed that as it means sorrowful.