Bonita Girl

Popularity: #937 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: bo-NEE-tah /bəˈniːtə/

Origin: Spanish; Latin

Meaning: Spanish: pretty; Latin: good

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Bonita originates from the Spanish word "bonito," which means "pretty" or "beautiful." This term itself is derived from the Latin word "bonus," meaning "good." The evolution of the name can be traced back through the linguistic history of the Iberian Peninsula, where Latin influenced the development of the Romance languages, including Spanish. As Spanish-speaking cultures spread, the term became associated with feminine beauty and grace, leading to its use as a given name for girls.

Historically, the name Bonita has been used in various cultural contexts, particularly in the Spanish-speaking world. It gained prominence in the 19th century, coinciding with the Romantic movement, which celebrated beauty and individualism in art and literature.

The name has been featured in various literary works and songs, further embedding it in the cultural consciousness. While there are no specific biblical figures or saints associated with the name, its roots in the concept of beauty resonate with many cultural narratives that celebrate feminine ideals.

The name Bonita carries a sense of charm and elegance, often evoking images of nature and art. It has been embraced in various forms of media, including literature and music, which have contributed to its enduring appeal.

The diminutive form "Nita" has also emerged, providing a more intimate or affectionate variant of the name. Overall, Bonita reflects a rich linguistic heritage and cultural significance that underscores the value placed on beauty throughout history.

Famous people named Bonita

In this section, you will find notable people named Bonita. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Bonita who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Bonita who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Bonita Granville is an actress best known for Nancy Drew... Reporter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Red Pony.

Bonita Norris is an adventurer and motivational speaker best known for being the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bonita, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bonita. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Bonita was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Bonita has ranked as high as #350 nationally, which occurred in 1950, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota.

In the past 5 years the name Bonita has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Bonita is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Bonita was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Bonita.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 11 0 11
2024 15 0 15
2023 16 0 16
2022 14 0 14
2021 14 0 14
2020 16 0 16
2019 12 0 12
2018 9 0 9
2017 8 0 8
2016 20 0 20
2015 15 0 15
2014 17 0 17
2013 14 0 14
2012 16 0 16
2011 18 0 18
2010 20 0 20
2009 19 0 19
2008 19 0 19
2007 12 0 12
2006 24 0 24
2005 19 0 19
2004 17 0 17
2003 22 0 22
2002 10 0 10
2001 27 0 27
2000 17 0 17
1999 27 0 27
1998 29 0 29
1997 32 0 32
1996 32 0 32
1995 29 0 29
1994 33 0 33
1993 52 0 52
1992 71 0 71
1991 71 0 71
1990 74 0 74
1989 81 0 81
1988 84 0 84
1987 104 0 104
1986 73 0 73
1985 60 0 60
1984 76 0 76
1983 77 0 77
1982 83 0 83
1981 124 0 124
1980 123 0 123
1979 109 0 109
1978 102 0 102
1977 107 0 107
1976 129 0 129
1975 126 0 126
1974 179 0 179
1973 161 0 161
1972 224 0 224
1971 260 0 260
1970 321 0 321
1969 361 0 361
1968 373 0 373
1967 461 0 461
1966 528 0 528
1965 624 0 624
1964 662 0 662
1963 831 0 831
1962 924 0 924
1961 936 6 930
1960 893 0 893
1959 812 0 812
1958 822 0 822
1957 971 0 971
1956 1,174 0 1,174
1955 1,244 6 1,238
1954 1,199 0 1,199
1953 1,354 0 1,354
1952 1,456 0 1,456
1951 1,522 0 1,522
1950 1,528 0 1,528
1949 1,508 0 1,508
1948 1,315 0 1,315
1947 1,448 0 1,448
1946 1,213 0 1,213
1945 844 0 844
1944 979 0 979
1943 1,014 0 1,014
1942 826 0 826
1941 742 0 742
1940 516 0 516
1939 391 0 391
1938 359 0 359
1937 266 0 266
1936 234 0 234
1935 260 0 260
1934 242 0 242
1933 230 0 230
1932 226 0 226
1931 206 0 206
1930 219 0 219
1929 197 0 197
1928 196 0 196
1927 199 0 199
1926 188 0 188
1925 208 0 208
1924 167 0 167
1923 164 0 164
1922 128 0 128
1921 142 0 142
1920 137 0 137
1919 99 0 99
1918 99 0 99
1917 93 0 93
1916 115 0 115
1915 90 0 90
1914 58 0 58
1913 59 0 59
1912 44 0 44
1911 39 0 39
1910 39 0 39
1909 33 0 33
1908 20 0 20
1907 20 0 20
1906 18 0 18
1905 15 0 15
1904 21 0 21
1903 13 0 13
1902 6 0 6
1901 11 0 11
1900 8 0 8
1899 6 0 6
1896 9 0 9
1895 8 0 8
1893 7 0 7
1892 5 0 5
1888 6 0 6

Top States for Bonita (2001)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 5
100%