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Home › Baby Names Directory › Onis

Onis

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Onis

Pronounced OH-nis /ˈoʊ.nɪs/Medium

Meaning: Onis is a rare early-century name of uncertain origin. The most plausible route is a short form of the biblical Onesimus, Greek for 'useful' or 'profitable' - the runaway slave of Paul's letter to Philemon. It may also derive from a surname. The source is uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: Onis is a rare vintage boy's name of uncertain origin, possibly short for Onesimus, 'useful.' It appears in early US records and peaked around 1919 (said OH-nis).
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Origin LowGreek, American
MeaningOnis is a rare early-century name of uncertain origin. The most plausible route is a short form of the biblical Onesimus, Greek for 'useful' or 'profitable' - the runaway slave of Paul's letter to Philemon. It may also derive from a surname. The source is uncertain.
U.S. rank (1968)#2862 ↗ Rising
1968 U.S. births10 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1919
Total births (all-time)≈ 263

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191919131968

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

Onis is a scarce early-twentieth-century name whose origin is not settled. It reads most plausibly as a clipped Onesimus (Greek 'useful'), though a surname source is possible. We keep the entry honest and short rather than overclaim.

It was never common, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak around 1919, and had faded by mid-century. A boy named Onis then would belong to his great-grandfather's generation.

Did you know? If Onis traces to Onesimus, it carries a quietly hopeful New Testament meaning - 'useful, profitable' - the name of a man Paul sent back to his master as 'no longer a slave but a brother.'
Overall data confidence 25%
References - Onis — FLAG: uncertain origin; possibly short for Onesimus (Greek 'useful') or a surname; early-1900s cohort.

Variations

OnusOnnisOnieOnnie

Nicknames

Onie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Onis…

Otis— a like short vintage boy's name of the era
Ollie— a similar warm O- name of the period
Orin— another two-beat O- name in sound
Amos— a like short biblical-flavored name

Explore names like Onis

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Onis mean?

Its origin is uncertain; it is most plausibly a short form of Onesimus, Greek for 'useful' or 'profitable,' though it may come from a surname.

How do you pronounce Onis?

It is said OH-nis /ˈoʊ.nɪs/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Onis a boy or girl name?

Onis is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Onis?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the nineteen-tens.

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