Onie

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Onie

Pronounced OH-nee /ˈoʊ.ni/Medium

Meaning: Onie is an affectionate -ie name of uncertain base; it likely shortens a longer name ending in -on, such as Alonzo or Vernon, or stands as a regional coinage, and was used in the American South for both sexes though here for a boy. No single parent name is recorded, which we note.Low

In 30 seconds: Onie is an uncommon early American pet-form name of uncertain origin, likely short for a longer -on name. It was used for United States boys around 1920 (said OH-nee); its route is unclear.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish, American

MeaningOnie is an affectionate -ie name of uncertain base; it likely shortens a longer name ending in -on, such as Alonzo or Vernon, or stands as a regional coinage, and was used in the American South for both sexes though here for a boy. No single parent name is recorded, which we note.

U.S. rank (1955)#3779 ↘ Falling

1955 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1920

Total births (all-time)≈ 277

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

Onie appeared faintly in American records, mostly around 1920, without a settled origin. It reads as a rustic Southern pet-form name.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year even at its peak, and it faded within a generation. With its base uncertain, which we note, the name survives as a warm, dated rarity.

Did you know? Short -ie names like Onie filled the early nineteen-hundreds, often trimmed from a longer name ending in -on such as Alonzo or Vernon; the fuller name behind any given Onie is usually lost to the record.

Overall data confidence 28%

References - Onie — Uncertain pet-form; likely short for a longer -on name; Southern usage

Variations

OnyOneyOnnie

Nicknames

OnOnnie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Onie…

Ollie— a like vintage -ie boy's name

Loney— a similar rural -ie nickname-name

Vernie— a fellow short -ie name of the era

Arnie— a like homely -ie boy's name

Explore names like Onie

By themeuncertain english vintage nickname-name

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Onie mean?

Its origin is uncertain; it reads as a pet-form name, likely short for a longer name ending in -on.

How do you pronounce Onie?

It is said OH-nee /ˈoʊ.ni/, two syllables stressed on the first.

Is Onie a boy or girl name?

Onie is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Onie?

It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak in the early twentieth century.