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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Jonah

39 replies

RLOU88 · 03/02/2018 10:38

DS1 due in May. The hospital had originally told us we were expecting a daughter so after settling on the name Sophie, we now have to come up with a boys name! Me and OH don’t agree on many names. Just wondering what people think of, Jonah ?

So stuck- any help would be appreciated!

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NewYearNiki · 04/02/2018 11:48

Awesome.

I bought a pair of whale baby soft shoes a while ago out of hope.

Original poster
RLOU88 · 04/02/2018 11:24

Thank you :)

Newyear: I might have already brought him a couple of things haha x

OP posts:
NewYearNiki · 04/02/2018 11:23

Love it.

You can look for baby clothes with whales on too! 🐳

Jenna43 · 04/02/2018 11:14

Jonah is lovely.

RosaBaby2 · 04/02/2018 07:36

Love it, also due May and using the name Jonah. Trying not to tell anyone as sick of being put off names by other opinions.

Adelong · 04/02/2018 00:18

I could have written your OP a few years ago. We were told I was having a daughter and found out later he was a boy. I loved the name Jonah, DH thought it was ok but not sold on it because of the religious association. We went for it in the end and now have a lovely DS aged three called Jonah. I am still in love with the name and never get sick of saying. We call our son Joey as a nn (which sounds so cool and he loves it). DH loves it now too.
For what it's worth, only one person made a comment about whales etc, and they were quite elderly and still said they liked the name. I honestly don't think people think about it but we do get a LOT of comments on how lovely his name is.

glitterbiscuits · 03/02/2018 19:27

We have a Jonah in the family. He is so cool and really bright.

deptfordgirl · 03/02/2018 19:23

I love the bible story and the meaning dove. I wouldn't let some sailor superstition put you off, I think most people nowadays wouldn't think of that.

daisypond · 03/02/2018 18:44

ManuFloral The tradition comes from the bible story - where sailors blame Jonah for a storm and throw him overboard. Jonah is in the dictionary as a word in its own right: "a person believed to bring bad luck to those around him; jinx".

ladyvimes · 03/02/2018 18:42

I like Jonah. No one has suggested Judah as an alternative.

Original poster
RLOU88 · 03/02/2018 18:40

ManyFloral - Sebastian was on my short list too! They sound great together.
Araminta- I completely hear what you say and it did bother me too. I think I’m just now thinking that we all have our fair share of bad luck sadly, whatever our names.

OP posts:
ManyFloralBlouses · 03/02/2018 18:37

My parents said the same? I’d never heard of that before or since

AramintaDePea · 03/02/2018 18:33

I couldn't use it as "It's a jinx"

DH said it's a bad luck name and was insistent that we shouldn't use it.

ManyFloralBlouses · 03/02/2018 18:31

Jonah Sebastian even! So we liked it

ManyFloralBlouses · 03/02/2018 18:30

If our dd would have been a bit she would have been Johan Sebastian

Sadiejane08 · 03/02/2018 18:29

My baby boy is named Jonah & his brother is Reuben I love biblical names & it's unusual without bring too out there.

Original poster
RLOU88 · 03/02/2018 18:21

You have all made me love it even more thank you so much!

OP posts:
Xanadu46 · 03/02/2018 18:06

Love it , and its also the name of the little boy in sleepless in seattle Wink

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 03/02/2018 17:59

So funny to read this; I thought of Jonah for pfb back in 1989, loved the name, never met another Jonah, thought it was a perfect name for baby, boy, and grown man.... then we decided to call our blond, blue-eyed new baby Oliver, which, unbelievably, was little used at the time.

Hope you call him Jonah, OP. I think it’s great Smile

JumpingFrogs · 03/02/2018 17:56

Love Jonah but couldn't consider it as my eldest soon is Joseph. Jonah is classic, not too trendy, not too weird. Joe is a nice nickname too

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 03/02/2018 17:49

Jonah is nice, but I prefer Jonas.

Original poster
RLOU88 · 03/02/2018 16:18

Thanks Guys!
@daisypond - yes, I also look up the meanings and was a bit put off- just going to focus on the Hebrew meaning of “dove” instead lol

OP posts:
Nanasueathome · 03/02/2018 15:44

My middle grandson is Jonah...6 years old
Love, love, love the name (and my grandson) very much

daisypond · 03/02/2018 15:42

I do think Jonah is nice, but I'd be put off because a Jonah is traditionally bad luck or jinxed - from the Bible story, I suppose. Jonas?

DarthArts · 03/02/2018 15:06

I love the name Jonah - classic but not over used.