Meaning: Its source is a Greek expression meaning "Purple."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English, Greek and Scots Gaelic.

Variant Forms: Ione

Popularity: The name Iona ranked 1111th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: For Greek speakers, it derives from an expression meaning ''Purple.''

Its English use stems not only from the Greek source, but also from the Gaelic name for a small island in the Hebrides, (the inspiration for Iona's use among the Scots.)

Though the meaning of the island's name is uncertain, it probably derives in part from the Old Norse term ey, meaning ''Island.''