Jonam
A name of uncertain origin, possibly deriving from Hebrew and meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Jonam. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Jonam today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jonam births was 2012 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jonam. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Jonam. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2012
6 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2012 SSA rank
#11,474
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Jonam: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Jonam by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Jonam during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Jonam
The name Jonam is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language, with its roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Yonah," which means "dove" or "pigeon." The name carries a symbolic meaning of peace, gentleness, and purity.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Jonam can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is mentioned in the Book of Jonah. In this biblical narrative, Jonah is a prophet who is sent by God to warn the people of Nineveh about their sinful ways.
The first known person to bear the name Jonam was Jonam ben Uziel, a renowned Jewish scholar who lived in the 1st century CE. He was a member of the Great Sanhedrin, the highest court of ancient Israel, and was known for his wisdom and knowledge of the Torah.
Another notable figure in history with the name Jonam was Jonam of Gath, a Philistine warrior who lived during the time of King David in the 10th century BCE. He is mentioned in the Book of Samuel in the Bible as one of David's mighty men, known for his bravery and military prowess.
In the 4th century CE, there was a Christian martyr named Jonam who was executed for his faith during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. His unwavering devotion and sacrifice made him a revered figure among early Christian communities.
During the Middle Ages, Jonam was a relatively common name among Jews living in various parts of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Jonam ben Isaac, a Spanish Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 12th century. He was known for his work on the reconciliation of Jewish teachings with Aristotelian philosophy.
In more recent times, Jonam has been used as a first name, although its popularity has varied across different regions and cultures. Some examples of notable individuals with this name include Jonam Cheltenham, a British writer and poet from the 19th century, and Jonam Rodrigues, a Brazilian footballer who played in the 1970s.
People
Jonam + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jonam as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jonam: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jonam?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jonam going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Jonam a common name?
We classify Jonam as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jonam most popular?
The single biggest year for Jonam was 2012, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jonam is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Jonam in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Jonam a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Jonam in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Jonam still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Jonam in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Jonam can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Jonam?
See how many Americans are named Jonam on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.