Onyx is a name of Greek origin, meaning “claw, fingernail”, gemstone name, via Latin. The banded gemstone onyx takes its name from the Greek word for fingernail.

Onyx

Gender: Mostly boys
Say it: ON-iks
Origin: Greek
UK rank, 2025: #1,055 for boys
US rank, 2025: #365 for boys

Onyx is a name of Greek origin, meaning “claw, fingernail”. In 2025 it ranked 1,055th for boys in the UK (31 babies) and 365th for boys in the US (881 babies).

What does Onyx mean?

Greek: gemstone name, via Latin

“claw, fingernail”

The banded gemstone onyx takes its name from the Greek word for fingernail.

Is Onyx a girl's or a boy's name?

In recent years, Onyx has been given to girls and boys, mostly boys. In 2025, it was given to 6 girls and 31 boys in the UK and 155 girls and 881 boys in the US.

How popular is Onyx in the UK?

Rank in 2025: 1,055th among boys
Babies in 2025: 31 about 1 in 9,700 boys
Five-year trend: Rising fast up 255% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 31 boys in the UK were named Onyx, making it the 1,055th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,923rd. Its busiest year was 2023, with 39 boys. 6 girls were also named Onyx in 2025 (3,776th for girls).

Half of all the boys named Onyx in the UK since 1996 were born between 2020 and 2024, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 16% of the babies named Onyx in the UK were girls.

Among boys in 2025, it was 976th in England and Wales.

2009Busiest: 39 in 20232025

Onyx in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	31	#1,055
2024	33	#1,003
2023	39	#892
2022	29	#1,092
2021	26	#1,166
2020	12	#1,923
2019	13	#1,858
2018	4	#4,169
2017	4	#4,161
2016	8	#2,690
2015	4	#4,086
2014	4	#4,063
2013	3	#4,884
2012	5	#3,572
2011	0	–
2010	0	–
2009	3	#4,691

How popular is Onyx in the US?

Rank in 2025: 365th among boys
Babies in 2025: 881 about 1 in 1,900 boys
Five-year trend: Rising fast up 181% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1% chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 881 boys in the US were named Onyx, making it the 365th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 612th. Its busiest year was 2023, with 1,079 boys. It first appears in the records in 1990. 155 girls were also named Onyx in 2025 (1,406th for girls).

Half of all the boys named Onyx in the US since 1880 were born between 2019 and 2024, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 1993, 53% of the babies named Onyx in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 15%, with more boys than girls since 2002.

1990Busiest: 1,079 in 20232025

Onyx in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	881	#365
2024	931	#358
2023	1,079	#307
2022	937	#352
2021	768	#404
2020	447	#612
2019	323	#744
2018	257	#857
2017	188	#1,059
2016	175	#1,116
2015	121	#1,416
2014	92	#1,670
2013	78	#1,826
2012	81	#1,817
2011	57	#2,260
2010	59	#2,211
2009	60	#2,202
2008	41	#2,878
2007	31	#3,442
2006	29	#3,522
2005	20	#4,321
2004	26	#3,530
2003	17	#4,611
2002	20	#4,038
2001	15	#4,884
2000	21	#3,758
1999	8	#7,132
1998	12	#5,153
1997	17	#3,872
1996	13	#4,606
1995	10	#5,495
1994	9	#5,862
1993	14	#4,220
1992	6	#7,414
1991	0	–
1990	6	#7,171

Names like Onyx

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Obi, Ozzy, Luca, Atlas, Theo, Oakley, Achim, Nico, Bodhi, Nikodem, Rowan, Enzo

Other spellings of Onyx

Onyxx

Names related to Onyx

Onix

More Greek names

Theodore, Sophia, George, Lucas, Sofia, Alexander, Sebastian, Penelope, Phoebe, Margot, Luke, Chloe, Sophie, Zoe, Iris, Maisie

Every Greek name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Onyx: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/onyx, updated 20 October 2026.