Younis

Younis is one of several Latin-letter spellings used for the Arabic name Yunus. The name is the Arabic counterpart of Jonah, and through that Hebrew ancestry it carries the meaning dove. The spelling reflects how a name moves between writing systems, rather than a new Arabic word made from its individual syllables.

The prophet Yunus gives the name its central place in Islamic tradition. His account is associated with the great fish and with turning back to God, providing a story that many families will know from childhood. Younis can preserve a familiar family spelling while remaining connected with Yunus and Younes, other forms parents may encounter in different countries or languages.