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Bonny

Girl name · 11 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Bonny: 11 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 4 births in 2017.

Bonny is an affectionate Scottish name, derived directly from the Scots word "bonnie," meaning "pretty" or "beautiful," itself rooted in the Old French "bon" for "good." Its most famous historical bearer was Bonny Prince Charlie, the Jacobite Charles Edward Stuart, though this was a nickname rather than a given name. In popular culture, the pirate Anne Bonny is a legendary figure from the 18th century. The name shares its root with the word "bonanza," though no specific places trace directly to a bearer. A notable variant is the more formal Bonnie, which saw a major popularity spike in Scotland in the 1970s, while Bonny remains a rarer, more deliberately Scottish choice.