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My image of Jonah is distorted by being acquainted with a Jonah who is my daughter's friend. He's 11.
Yes it does sound wimpy. But I don't think it has to. It depends on the bearer. I guess I think it suits a bookish sort of person better than a jockish sort of person, but ... not to the point that it's stereotyped. The sound of it just seems prone to being brooding.
It's easy enough to say Jonah, sounds natural and not Weird. Not my style though, too bibley.
Nickname Joe would work, if it worked for that particular person. The Jonah I know only lets his mother call him that.

This message was edited 10/22/2017, 1:22 PM

I find it depressing rather than wimpy. The most dreary prophet in the entire Bible.

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Joe improves it greatly, but there are better ways to have a son called Joe. Joseph, for instance, or Joel.

I like Jonah a lot. It was my top name for a short while and remains on my long list, dipping in and out of my top ten depending on my mood.

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I don't think it sounds weak however it isn't the most macho name ever... But for me, this isn't a problem, I think it's sweet.

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Joe could definitely work as a nickname for Jonah, it's very logical. But I dislike Joe a lot so if I ever had a Jonah I would try to avoid shortening him to Joe.

Jonah is a fantastic name, I love it. I don't find it weak or wimpy in the slightest. I do love Biblical names, there are so many nice ones. I personally don't think Jonah needs a nn, it's great as it is.

I do like Jonah. I don't think it's weak or wimpy sounding at all. And I think Joe would be a nice nickname, though of course you could also spell it Jo.

I like it. It *does* seem extremely religious to me (I'd assume a person named Jonah would be Orthodox Jewish or evangelical Christian), so if those connotations bother you then it may be best avoided. But it's a good name and has a good, peaceful meaning.

I like it. I prefer Jonas (though tbh both end up sounding about the same when said with my surname -.-). It's soft but not weak. I don't think they'd automatically called Joe, but I think you could call them that if you like it.

I like it. It doesn't blow me away, but there's nothing wrong with it.

I've always hated Jonah but never knew why. Now I know why. It's weak and wimpy sounding.

I love love love Jonah. I don't think it sounds weak, I think it sounds soft, and I know a lot of people consider soft-sounding boys names "weak" but personally I love them.

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I'd never think to call a Jonah "Joe" because I think Joe is so generic and takes away from the beauty of Jonah. But it is definitely a logical nickname, not one of those wear you have to wonder hmmm... where did that come from? so it does "work" in that sense.

Hi Perrine !!!

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Jonah with this spelling seems just too Biblical and religious to me.
I can see it on a Amish or Mormon boy.
It is not negative but it is not my cup of tea.

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Joe as NN is boring and dated imo.
I would use Joy instead.
It is youthful and cheerer than Joe.

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I prefer other forms of Jonah...
Yona (Modern Hebrew)
Giona (Italian)
Jonas (with J English)
Jonas (with Y Scandinavian/German)

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So...nearly every variant of Jonah is better than Jonah itself! lol