Testing out another Bible name (I have 3 biblical boys, 2 outside-the-box biblical daughters, and am expecting baby #6).
So, back when we were expecting our first (about 12 years ago), my [name_m]SIL[/name_m], knowing that we liked Bible names, begged us, whatever we did, not to use [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. “He’ll get teased! People will call him ‘fish boy’!”
It had actually been in our top 2 at the time (unbeknownst to her), but our other favorite was winning out anyway, so we skipped it. And never came back to it.
What do you all think? Is her concern valid? (I realize children can find a way to poke fun at just about anyone’s name if they’re determined). I can’t help but think, with [name_u]Noah[/name_u] in the #1 spot, that little [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] would do just fine on the playground. Auntie lives on the other side of the country now, and we scarcely see her but once a year, so her opinion (if she still even holds it over a decade later) is pretty much a non-issue to me at this point.
I don’t think that [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] will get called a fish boy. I’m a nanny to a [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] and people mishear his name as [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] all the time but I never sense any derision. I think [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is a lovely name choice but if you’re worried about it [name_m]Jonas[/name_m] is the Greek version of the name and might be an alternate choice. Besides I think people are just as likely to think of the actor, [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] [name_m]Hill[/name_m], as they are to think of the man swallowed by a whale.
I think your [name_m]SIL[/name_m] is the one with issues, not the name [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] I think [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is a great name, and I can’t imagine people calling him fish boy.
I love [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. Years ago I thought a boy called [name_u]Noah[/name_u] would be teased about ark/flood stories and look how popular it’s become.
Biblical names are so common place now that I would say it’s a non issue
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is way better than [name_u]Noah[/name_u], which is so overused. Also, if he does get called “fish boy” he can learn to reply “A whale is not a fish”.
I think [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is a great name, and I can’t imagine people calling him fish boy.
