Iona is a female given name, derived from the name of an island located off Scotland. The origin of the name is uncertain though it could be derived from Old Norse ey meaning “island” though it could also be related to a Proto-Celtic source meaning “yew”. It’s just as possible that Iona may be a variant form of Ione meaning “violet” from Greek. Iona is also a male name, the Russian and Georgian form of Jonah, a Hebrew male name meaning “dove”.
Iona is also a Japanese female name with a variety of meanings depending on the kanji used such as:
- i 一 “one” + o 零 “zero” + na 七 “seven” (一零七);
- i 意 “idea; mind; heart; desire” + o 緒 “cord, thread” + na 名 “name; reputation” (意緒名);
- i 郁 “culture; cultural progress; perfume, fragrance” + o 央 “center, middle” + na 奈 “Nara; what?” (郁央奈);
- i 一 “one” + ona 女 “woman” (一女);
Written in hiragana it’s いおな. There are other meanings depending on the kanji used.
Origin: Old Norse, Celtic, Proto-Indo-European, Hebrew, Japanese
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