Yunis

Meaning of Yunis

Yunis is a masculine appellation of Arabic provenance, phonetically articulated /juː.niːs/, representing an alternative transliteration of Yunus—cognate with the Hebrew Yonah and the English Jonah—literally denoting “dove.” Its primary historical resonance derives from the figure of the prophet Yunus in Islamic tradition, whose narrative of deliverance from the depths of the sea parallels that of the Judeo-Christian Jonah, thereby endowing the name with connotations of perseverance and spiritual renewal. In the United States, Yunis has maintained a modest yet consistent presence in newborn name statistics—recording thirty-eight occurrences (ranked 886th) in 2024—reflecting a gradual stabilization among parents who seek names that balance classical resonance with cross-cultural clarity. The name’s succinct, two-syllable structure, together with its rich theological and linguistic heritage, renders it particularly suited to anglophone families valuing both phonetic precision and historical gravitas.