Bonnie Girl

Popularity: #364 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BON-ee //ˈbɒni//

Origin: Scottish; English

Meaning: Scottish: pretty; English: good

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Bonnie has its roots in the Scottish language, derived from the word "bonnie," which means "pretty" or "attractive." This term can be traced back to the Old French word "bon," meaning "good," which entered Scottish vernacular during the medieval period. The transition into English occurred as the name began to be used as a given name in the 18th century, particularly in Scotland, where it became associated with charm and beauty.

Historically, the name Bonnie gained prominence through various cultural references, most notably in the 18th century with the publication of the poem "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" in the early 19th century. This poem, which expresses longing and nostalgia, contributed to the name's romantic connotations.

Additionally, Bonnie was used in literature and songs, further embedding it in the cultural fabric of English-speaking societies. The name also appears in Scottish folklore and songs, reinforcing its connection to the themes of beauty and affection.

Culturally, Bonnie has been embraced for its positive associations, often symbolizing youthfulness and charm. The name has been used in various forms of art and literature, enhancing its resonance within Scottish and broader English-speaking traditions.

While diminutive forms such as Bonny or Bonnie may exist, the name itself has maintained a distinct identity, celebrated for its lyrical quality and endearing meaning. Overall, Bonnie encapsulates a blend of linguistic heritage and cultural significance, reflecting ideals of beauty and affection that have endured through the centuries.

Famous people named Bonnie

In this section, you will find notable people named Bonnie. 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 Bonnie who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Bonnie 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.

Bonnie Tyler is a singer best known for Total Eclipse of the Heart, Holding Out for a Hero, and It's a Heartache.

Bonnie Hunt is an actress, comedian, and writer best known for Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile, and The Bonnie Hunt Show.

Bonnie Raitt is a singer-songwriter and guitarist best known for I Can't Make You Love Me, Something to Talk About, and Nick of Time.

Bonnie Wright is an actress best known for her role as Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter film series.

Bonnie Bedelia is an actress best known for her roles in Die Hard, Presumed Innocent, and Parenthood.

Fictional characters named Bonnie

The following list of fictional characters named Bonnie is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Bonnie Bennett is a fictional character from the TV series The Vampire Diaries. She is a powerful witch and one of the main characters who often helps her friends confront supernatural threats.

Bonnie Parker is a fictional character from the film and media portrayals of Bonnie and Clyde. She is a notorious bank robber and partner to Clyde Barrow during the Great Depression.

Sibling suggestions

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

LucyEllaClaraMollySadieNoraLilaRuby

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bonnie. 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.

HattieAnnieDaisyLottieMinnieTillyPoppyMaisieDollyCallieZoe

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Bonnie was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Bonnie has ranked as high as #64 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Bonnie 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 Bonnie 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 Bonnie.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 785 0 785
2024 704 0 704
2023 612 5 607
2022 592 0 592
2021 604 0 604
2020 481 0 481
2019 450 0 450
2018 420 0 420
2017 416 0 416
2016 312 0 312
2015 323 0 323
2014 318 0 318
2013 237 0 237
2012 225 0 225
2011 222 0 222
2010 189 0 189
2009 173 0 173
2008 184 0 184
2007 168 0 168
2006 186 0 186
2005 190 0 190
2004 201 0 201
2003 248 0 248
2002 219 0 219
2001 255 0 255
2000 235 0 235
1999 265 0 265
1998 308 0 308
1997 347 0 347
1996 386 0 386
1995 387 0 387
1994 469 5 464
1993 447 5 442
1992 555 0 555
1991 584 10 574
1990 704 10 694
1989 774 10 764
1988 838 7 831
1987 995 11 984
1986 1,102 10 1,092
1985 1,186 10 1,176
1984 1,291 18 1,273
1983 1,284 7 1,277
1982 1,384 16 1,368
1981 1,636 12 1,624
1980 1,723 13 1,710
1979 1,638 11 1,627
1978 1,098 8 1,090
1977 1,352 11 1,341
1976 1,214 10 1,204
1975 1,363 18 1,345
1974 1,470 18 1,452
1973 1,701 16 1,685
1972 1,869 16 1,853
1971 2,346 17 2,329
1970 2,763 16 2,747
1969 2,671 24 2,647
1968 2,975 22 2,953
1967 3,390 20 3,370
1966 3,866 24 3,842
1965 4,156 26 4,130
1964 4,714 28 4,686
1963 5,256 30 5,226
1962 5,851 39 5,812
1961 6,059 26 6,033
1960 6,430 41 6,389
1959 6,496 40 6,456
1958 7,040 44 6,996
1957 7,277 35 7,242
1956 8,181 48 8,133
1955 8,677 40 8,637
1954 8,146 47 8,099
1953 8,679 64 8,615
1952 9,445 62 9,383
1951 9,764 58 9,706
1950 9,800 54 9,746
1949 9,796 64 9,732
1948 9,889 72 9,817
1947 10,285 71 10,214
1946 9,571 61 9,510
1945 7,803 58 7,745
1944 8,517 61 8,456
1943 8,962 92 8,870
1942 8,907 84 8,823
1941 7,847 85 7,762
1940 6,023 66 5,957
1939 3,941 54 3,887
1938 3,847 74 3,773
1937 3,671 76 3,595
1936 3,456 82 3,374
1935 3,687 77 3,610
1934 3,847 94 3,753
1933 3,454 81 3,373
1932 3,710 89 3,621
1931 3,621 69 3,552
1930 3,337 72 3,265
1929 3,047 73 2,974
1928 2,994 71 2,923
1927 2,878 82 2,796
1926 2,684 75 2,609
1925 2,603 71 2,532
1924 2,369 73 2,296
1923 2,166 72 2,094
1922 1,893 69 1,824
1921 1,670 61 1,609
1920 1,581 66 1,515
1919 1,410 67 1,343
1918 1,212 61 1,151
1917 1,244 67 1,177
1916 1,071 79 992
1915 1,002 63 939
1914 832 49 783
1913 690 42 648
1912 569 30 539
1911 413 24 389
1910 392 18 374
1909 354 17 337
1908 313 14 299
1907 290 11 279
1906 277 9 268
1905 287 23 264
1904 285 17 268
1903 216 16 200
1902 192 10 182
1901 179 0 179
1900 239 19 220
1899 170 11 159
1898 202 15 187
1897 151 9 142
1896 174 11 163
1895 141 12 129
1894 128 9 119
1893 125 5 120
1892 138 12 126
1891 109 9 100
1890 107 9 98
1889 77 9 68
1888 78 8 70
1887 70 11 59
1886 40 0 40
1885 60 7 53
1884 39 7 32
1883 21 0 21
1882 19 0 19
1881 25 0 25
1880 14 0 14

Top States for Bonnie (2024)

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
TX 104
15%
CA 80
12%
TN 28
4%
FL 28
4%
OH 25
4%
IN 24
4%
NC 24
4%
WA 23
3%
MO 23
3%
GA 21
3%
AZ 19
3%
CO 19
3%
UT 18
3%
AL 18
3%
MI 17
3%
NY 17
3%
LA 15
2%
PA 14
2%
OK 14
2%
VA 13
2%
IL 13
2%
AR 12
2%
OR 12
2%
KY 11
2%
MN 11
2%
ID 9
1%
KS 8
1%
MS 7
1%
NM 7
1%
NJ 7
1%
NV 7
1%
WI 7
1%
SC 6
1%
MA 6
1%
IA 6
1%
MD 5
1%