
The short answer
Onyx is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning ‘claw, nail’." It ranked #365 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning ‘claw, nail’. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Onyx ranked #365 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #365 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Onyx in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Onyx mean?
Behind the Name does not give Onyx a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from the English word for the gemstone.
Is Onyx a popular name?
Onyx ranked #365 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Onyx a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Onyx appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine & feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Onyx — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.