Boni

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Boni

Pronounced BON-ee /ˈbɒni/Medium

Meaning: Boni is a pet form of Bonnie or Bonita, names that trace to the Latin 'bonus', 'good', by way of the Scots 'bonnie', 'pretty' or 'fine', and the Spanish 'bonita', 'pretty'. The spare -i spelling gives the familiar Bonnie a fresh, informal look.Low

In 30 seconds: Boni is a pet form of Bonnie or Bonita, from roots meaning 'good' or 'pretty', a rare mid-century girl's name said BON-ee.

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Origin LowLatin, Scottish

MeaningBoni is a pet form of Bonnie or Bonita, names that trace to the Latin 'bonus', 'good', by way of the Scots 'bonnie', 'pretty' or 'fine', and the Spanish 'bonita', 'pretty'. The spare -i spelling gives the familiar Bonnie a fresh, informal look.

U.S. rank (1997)#14023 ↘ Falling

1997 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1955

Total births (all-time)≈ 368

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Boni is a trimmed, -i-spelled form of Bonnie or Bonita, part of the mid-century fashion for casual pet-name spellings. Through those parents it reaches the Latin 'bonus', 'good', and the Scots and Spanish words for 'pretty'.

The name was never common, drawing only a couple dozen girls a year at its high in the mid-nineteen-fifties before fading. A woman named Boni then would be of a grandmother's generation; the fuller Bonnie has always been the familiar form, leaving Boni a breezy rarity.

Did you know? Boni goes back through Bonnie and Bonita to the Latin 'bonus', 'good', by way of words for 'pretty'.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Boni — pet form of Bonnie/Bonita; Latin bonus 'good'

Variations

BonnieBonitaBonney

Nicknames

Bon

Famous Bearers

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If you like Boni…

Bonnie— the parent name it shortens

Bonita— the fuller Spanish source form

Toni— a like -i pet name of the era

Joni— a similar breezy -i spelling

Explore names like Boni

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Boni mean?

It is a pet form of Bonnie or Bonita, from the Latin 'bonus' meaning 'good', by way of words for 'pretty'.

How do you pronounce Boni?

It's said BON-ee /ˈbɒni/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Boni a boy or girl name?

Boni is used as a girl's name.

Is Boni a popular name?

No, it has always been rare, a pet form of Bonnie used lightly around the mid-twentieth century.