Bonnie
Originally an American nickname from Scottish bonnie (“fine, beautiful”).
Every Bonnie since 1880 — 332,712 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bonnie
Bonnie is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #396 in 2025 with 785 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 332,712 American babies have been named Bonnie. Its peak came in 1947, when 10,285 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bonnie stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bonnie year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 785 | #396 | — | — |
| 2024 | 704 | #443 | — | — |
| 2023 | 607 | #502 | 5 | #12,501 |
| 2022 | 592 | #527 | — | — |
| 2021 | 604 | #512 | — | — |
| 2020 | 481 | #606 | — | — |
| 2019 | 450 | #646 | — | — |
| 2018 | 420 | #691 | — | — |
| 2017 | 416 | #699 | — | — |
| 2016 | 312 | #897 | — | — |
| 2015 | 323 | #865 | — | — |
| 2014 | 318 | #867 | — | — |
| 2013 | 237 | #1,045 | — | — |
| 2012 | 225 | #1,097 | — | — |
| 2011 | 222 | #1,112 | — | — |
| 2010 | 189 | #1,263 | — | — |
| 2009 | 173 | #1,375 | — | — |
| 2008 | 184 | #1,334 | — | — |
| 2007 | 168 | #1,416 | — | — |
| 2006 | 186 | #1,283 | — | — |
| 2005 | 190 | #1,203 | — | — |
| 2004 | 201 | #1,135 | — | — |
| 2003 | 248 | #945 | — | — |
| 2002 | 219 | #1,003 | — | — |
| 2001 | 255 | #895 | — | — |
| 2000 | 235 | #920 | — | — |
| 1995 | 387 | #589 | — | — |
| 1990 | 694 | #379 | 10 | #5,029 |
| 1985 | 1,176 | #221 | 10 | #4,079 |
| 1980 | 1,710 | #166 | 13 | #3,277 |
| 1975 | 1,345 | #188 | 18 | #2,374 |
| 1970 | 2,747 | #130 | 16 | #2,308 |
| 1965 | 4,130 | #89 | 26 | #1,517 |
| 1960 | 6,389 | #71 | 41 | #1,230 |
| 1955 | 8,637 | #45 | 40 | #1,183 |
| 1950 | 9,746 | #33 | 54 | #935 |
| 1945 | 7,745 | #35 | 58 | #819 |
| 1940 | 5,957 | #39 | 66 | #759 |
| 1935 | 3,610 | #62 | 77 | #688 |
| 1930 | 3,265 | #78 | 72 | #749 |
| 1925 | 2,532 | #107 | 71 | #780 |
| 1920 | 1,515 | #154 | 66 | #826 |
| 1915 | 939 | #180 | 63 | #757 |
| 1910 | 374 | #183 | 18 | #712 |
| 1905 | 264 | #188 | 23 | #464 |
| 1900 | 220 | #212 | 19 | #559 |
| 1895 | 129 | #243 | 12 | #609 |
| 1890 | 98 | #252 | 9 | #670 |
| 1885 | 53 | #272 | 7 | #771 |
| 1880 | 14 | #452 | — | — |
Famous people named Bonnie
- Bonnie Tyler Singer · b. 1951
- Bonnie Hunt Actor · b. 1961
- Bonnie Bedelia Actor · b. 1948
- Bonnie Wright Actor · b. 1991
- Bonnie Raitt Musician · b. 1949
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bonnie mean?
Originally an American nickname from Scottish bonnie (“fine, beautiful”).
How popular is the name Bonnie in 2025?
Bonnie ranked #396 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 785 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bonnie?
332,712 babies have been named Bonnie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bonnie most popular?
Bonnie peaked in 1947, when 10,285 newborns received the name.
Is Bonnie a boy or girl name?
Bonnie is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bonnie rising or falling?
Bonnie is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bonnie?
Well-known people named Bonnie include Bonnie Tyler (singer), Bonnie Hunt (actor), Bonnie Bedelia (actor).