Home › Baby Names Directory › Bonnell
Bonnell
How to Pronounce Bonnell
Pronounced bah-NEL /bɑˈnɛl/Low
Meaning: Bonnell reads as a blend of Bonnie, the Scots word for 'pretty,' and Nell, a pet form of Eleanor or Helen. It doubles as an old English surname, but as a girl's given name it works like the many Nell-compounds of its day, meaning something like 'pretty Nell.'Low
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
Bonnell joins Bonnie, from the Scots bonnie, 'pretty or fine,' to Nell, a short form of Eleanor and Helen. The same word survives as an English surname, but as a first name it belongs to the era's taste for tidy blends, carrying the sense 'pretty Nell.'
It was never common, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-twenties, and it faded well before mid-century. A girl named Bonnell then would be near a hundred today, a name of the World War I generation.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Bonnell…
Explore names like Bonnell
Frequently Asked
What does the name Bonnell mean?
It is an American blend of Bonnie (Scots, 'pretty') and Nell (a short form of Eleanor or Helen); also an English surname.
How do you pronounce Bonnell?
It is said bah-NEL /bɑˈnɛl/ - two syllables, stress on the second.
Is Bonnell a boy or girl name?
Bonnell is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Bonnell?
It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the nineteen-twenties.