Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BAR-JONAH bar-jo'-na (Bar-ionas): Simon Peter's patronymic (Matthew 16:17). Bar is Aramaic for "son" (compare Bar-timaeus, Bartholomew, etc.), and corresponds to Hebrew ben. Thus we are to understand that Peter's father's name was Jonah. But in John 1:42; John 21:15-17, according to the best reading, his name is given as John (so the Revised Version (British and American), instead of the King James Version Jona, Jonas). There are two hypotheses to account for this difference: (1) Ionas (Jonah) in Matthew 16:17 may be simply a contraction of Ioanes (John); (2) Peter's father may have been known by two names, Jonah and John. D. Miall Edwards

Multi-Version Concordance Bar-jonah (1 Occurrence) Matthew 16:17 "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah," said Jesus; "for mere human nature has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven. (WEY ASV BBE)