UK name, mostly girls
Bonny
Pretty, attractive, or pleasing to the eye.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bonny is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Bonny popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 11 births.
This profile covers 171 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 181 living people in the UK are called Bonny. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bonny ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 11 girls were registered as Bonny.
- • Bonny ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
- • About 181 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bonny as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.3% of Bonny registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2018
11 births
Estimated living
181
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Bonny
In England and Wales birth records, Bonny has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 1.7% of registrations are for boys and 98.3% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Bonny registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (3 births)
Bonny registered for girls
- Ranked #3,695 in 2024
- 6 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2018 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Bonny mean?
The name Bonny has its origins in the Old French word "bon" which means "good" or "beautiful." It is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "bonus," meaning "good." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in various regions of Europe, particularly in France and Scotland.
In Scotland, the name Bonny was often used as a nickname or term of endearment, referring to someone who was attractive or charming. The name was also associated with the Bonny River in the Scottish Highlands, which added to its Scottish heritage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bonny can be found in the 15th century, when a Scottish outlaw named Bonny Dundee (real name John Graham of Claverhouse) became famous for his exploits during the Jacobite Risings.
In literature, the name Bonny appeared in Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride of Lammermoor," published in 1819. The novel features a character named Bonny Lucie, who is described as a beautiful and charming young woman.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bonny. One of the most famous was Bonny Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart, 1720-1788), the claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland during the Jacobite Risings of the 18th century.
Another historical figure with the name Bonny was Anne Bonny (c. 1700-c. 1782), an infamous Irish pirate who operated in the Caribbean during the early 18th century. She was known for her daring exploits and her defiance of gender norms.
In the realm of music, Bonny Tyler (born 1951) is a renowned Welsh singer known for her powerful vocals and hits like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero."
Bonny Raitt (born 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist who has won numerous Grammy Awards and is known for her soulful performances and guitar work.
The name Bonny also has a connection to the Bonny River in Nigeria, which was an important trading hub during the transatlantic slave trade. This historical connection has led some to associate the name with the horrors of that period.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bonny over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Bonny in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Bonny, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bonny by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bonny was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3058 | 39 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3732 | 64 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2899 | 50 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2761 | 18 | 3 |
Geography
Where Bonny is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Bonny. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Bonny ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #790 in 2024.
Across the UK
Bonny in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
3 years of NRS records, 11 total registered
Related
Names similar to Bonny
- Bethany 43,226
- Brooke 18,370
- Bella 14,112
- Bonnie 12,149
- Beatrice 11,306
- Bethan 7,968
- Beth 6,440
- Betsy 5,065
- Beatrix 4,317
- Billie 4,220
- Beau 3,231
- Bryony 3,167
FAQ
Bonny: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bonny in the UK right now?
In 2024, Bonny was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Bonny most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 11 babies registered as Bonny in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bonny?
Pretty, attractive, or pleasing to the eye.
How many people are called Bonny in the UK?
A total of 171 babies have been registered as Bonny across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 11 more in Scotland.
Where is Bonny most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Bonny ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #790 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.