As with other unisex names like [name_u]Alex[/name_u], [name_u]Taylor[/name_u], or [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], I can picture [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] being used for a girl too. I know it’s used strictly for boys, but it has such a feminine feel to it. I think it would be very pretty on a girl.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think it would also go well for a girl?
I know a girl whose first name is Johna, pronounced [name_m]Joe[/name_m]-nah, although I don’t think it’s terrible, she hates it! And goes by her middle name. On the other hand I know another girl with this name but pronounces it [name_m]John[/name_m]-ah, and she loves it!
While I agree it can sound feminine, I think [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is very male. If I heard [name_m]Jonah[/name_m], I would definitely assume they were a boy. While it could change, right now I think a little girl called [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] would spend her whole life with people expecting her to be a boy. [name_u]Jo[/name_u] and [name_u]Joey[/name_u] do make adorable nicknames, though.
I think a lot of people would easily see this as a female name, but it will always be masculine to me. I know a young girl named [name_m]Judah[/name_m]–also traditionally male–and no one comments on it negatively. If you’re interested in using [name_u]Jo[/name_u] as a nickname, [name_f]Josette[/name_f] and [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] are worth considering.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, names don’t have genders. It’s the people who decide how a name is used! So yes, [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] could definitely be used for a girl.
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m] is all boy to me, and I think it should stay that way.
[name_u]Joan[/name_u] or [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] are feminine alternatives.
A lot of old names do have an etymology, an origin, roots, a history, a meaning and a gender, either people want it or not. We should respect the old names and the culture they are from. It doesn’t matter what people say, [name_u]August[/name_u], [name_u]Zephyr[/name_u], [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] or [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] will always stay boy’s names because of their roots and history (Bible, mythology, etc). Maybe genders are not a thing in [name_u]America[/name_u], but it is in almost all the other languages, and it’s definitely not a big deal. People mix up languages/words (that are or can be gendered too)/names (names are words in another language) and gender stereotypes, which is sad in my opinion.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind about [name_u]Wren[/name_u], [name_u]Aspen[/name_u], [name_u]Skyler[/name_u], [name_u]Riley[/name_u], being unisex ;). They are new names (compared to names we find in the bible or in the Iliad), don’t have a hard background history. They are also American names and fit the “no gender” culture.
I want to add that it’s also completely against feminism for me. Boy’s names pass on girls, but girl’s names don’t pass on boys because it would make them “weak” whereas a girl having a boy name is “strong” :(. You can have a name that fits your sex and be strong. I do fight against gender stereotypes but I want to have a feminine name to be identify as a woman.
I know a girl named [name_m]Jonah[/name_m], I thought I was going to get used to but I still think that it doesn’t fit her. But I did get used to other names.
I’m pretty open-minded on the whole “boys’ names on girls” subject, but I actually can’t picture this one on a girl at all 
I can’t picture [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] as a girl either.
@mccharlie: Genders are definitely a thing in the US, and I wouldn’t classify us as having a “no gender” culture. People who choose to name their daughters masculine names and vice versa, are not doing it to avoid assigning a gender to their baby.
I’m open-minded about the boys names for girls thing, so I don’t mind the idea of a girl called [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]. It’s quite sweet really. I’d like to see it with a feminine middle name though like [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] or [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] [name_f]Adeline[/name_f].
I’m through.
Nope, doesn’t work on a girl imo.
I’m going to have to go with @mccharlie on this one. Here in the U.S. we may be pushing for gender neutral, but the etymology, hiatory, and culture the name comes from should be respected. There are many names that can be considered gender neutral (word names are a good example), but most names with a long history are gender specific and that should be respected.
With that said, I can see the appeal of [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] on a girl. It’s a short ends-in-A name that gives the cute nns [name_u]Jo[/name_u] and [name_f]Joni[/name_f]. I know girls names [name_u]Johnnie[/name_u] (x2), Johna, and Jonnalie. While I don’t like the idea of [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] on a girl, with a different spelling, like [name_m]Jona[/name_m], I don’t see why it couldn’t work on a girl.
I know of a girl named [name_f]Noa[/name_f], and I think that would be a better alternative than [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]- for some reason, [name_f]Noa[/name_f] seems more feminine without the “h”, but [name_m]Jona[/name_m] looks a little strange without it. [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] just seems more masculine to me.
It could pass, but I think spelling it without the ‘h’ - [name_m]Jona[/name_m] - makes it more feminine. But that’s just my opinion.
The [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] from the bible, whose name has since been translated to English, is pronounced [name_m]Yonah[/name_m]. [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]/[name_m]Yonah[/name_m] means dove in Hebrew. It would have, for that reason, been a very feminine name for a male to have had at that time, actually. That said, I know three female [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]'s, and one female [name_m]Yonah[/name_m] (prn. yo-NAH) today, all very happy with their names. Personally, of the two, I like [name_m]Yonah[/name_m] best!
Being a bird name it’s always felt feminine to me, but based on the history mentioned by PPs, I say no.
I agree that a name’s origin and history should be respected. I’m not really pushing for the idea of [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] becoming a gender-neutral name. I think it’s just a beautiful name for a boy and would sound pretty for a girl as well.
[name_f]Joni[/name_f] is the only other “jo” type girl name that I like. Maybe it would be more respectable to use the spelling [name_m]Jona[/name_m] instead?
Thanks for the suggestions.
@greeneyes375 I agree that a name’s origin and history should be respected. I’m not really pushing for the idea of [name_m]Jonah[/name_m] becoming a gender-neutral name. I think it’s just a beautiful name for a boy and would sound pretty for a girl as well.
[name_f]Joni[/name_f] is the only other “jo” type girl name that I like. Maybe it would be more respectable to use the spelling [name_m]Jona[/name_m] instead?
Thanks for the suggestions.