Updated November 2023
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Scottish form of Columba, Latin
"dove"
Callum is a gentle, charming name of Scottish origin, that is a popular choice across the UK. In the US, it was a rare option until the late 2000s, however, since 2017 it's been rising up the ranks.…
Hebrew
Jonah, the name of the Old Testament prophet who was swallowed by the whale, only to emerge unharmed three days later, is increasingly appreciated by parents looking for a biblical name less common…
Greek variation of Jonah
Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge…
Spanish
Paloma is vibrant and ruby-lipped a la jewelry designer Paloma Picasso, but it also suggests peace, as symbolized by the dove. Paloma is a highly recommended striking but soft name, one of the best…
Variation of Callum, Scottish form of Columba, Latin
Calum is a form of the boy name Callum, popular in the British Isles and carrying a peaceful meaning.
Arabic, Hebrew
Yunus is the Arabic form of Jonah, also used in Turkish. In Islam, Yunus is a prophet.
English and Irish
"little dove"
The name of three hundred saints, a mustard, and your own baby boy. Coleman was off the US Top 1000 list for much of the 1960s and 1970s, but it was a mainstay before and has been for most years…
Hebrew variation of Jonah
This form of the stylish Old Testament name is too close to the feminine Yona.
Arabic, Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani and alternative Arabic spelling of Yunus, from Jonah "dove".
"dove; daytime"
Jemima, the name of a strong and beautiful Biblical daughter of Job, has long been among the chicest choices of aristocratic Brits, and has since shifted to be used more generally too, replacing…
Cherokee or variation of Jonah, Hebrew
"bear; dove"
A name with a double animal connection via two distinct origins, one Native American and the other Hebrew and Biblical. Yona is rare in the US but not unknown: It was given to a dozen baby girls in…
Irish variation of Latin Columba
Colm is a popular Irish name for boys that could immigrate, especially with its peaceful meaning. Colm Toibin is a contemporary Irish novelist and critic, author of The Master and Brooklyn ; Colm…
Irish
Colman is best known as the name of the mustard, but is also the name of several Irish saints. The Colman spelling is less widely used than Coleman, which is just outside the Top 1000.
Callum is virtually unused for girls in the US, but we could easily see it fitting in with other boy names for girls such as Elliot, Asher, and August.
Diminutive of Jemma or Jemima
"gem; dove"
There was an eighties cartoon queen named Jem (& The Holograms), and this is as likely to be a full name as a short form – deriving from Jemma, Jemima or Jameela.
A variation of Jemima, without all the baggage.
English from Latin
A beautiful flower name deriving from the Latin word for dove. Sadly, in America this name is now forever linked with a tragic terrorist attack on a Colorado high school.
Variation of Columbo or Columbia, Latin
This is a big name, both in heritage and sound. On the right child, this could be inspired, but others may shrink from all the connotations. While your preferred nickname for this option might be Col…
Diminutive of Columbus, English from Latin
A forgotten nickname for Columbus, which itself is becoming ever rarer. Radio comedy program Lum and Abner , which ran for over two decades beginning in 1931, featured a character named Columbus…
Feminine variation of Yonah, Hebrew
A feminization of Yonah, the Hebrew form of Jonah.