Onesty
A name that may represent honesty, integrity, or truthfulness.
Name Census estimates that about 179 living Americans carry the first name Onesty. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Onesty today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Onesty births was 2006 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Onesty. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
179
~ 1 in 1,914,829 Americans
Peak year
2006
12 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,044
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Onesty: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Onesty from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 68 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Onesty remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Onesty by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Onesty during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Onesty
The name Onesty is a relatively uncommon first name with uncertain origins. Some scholars believe it may be derived from the Old English word "onest," which meant "upright" or "virtuous." However, there is no clear evidence of the name being used in ancient English texts or records.
Another theory suggests that Onesty could have its roots in the Latin word "honestas," meaning "honor" or "integrity." This would align with the name's connotations of honesty and moral uprightness. Alternatively, it may be a variant or a combination of other names like Honesty or Ernestine.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Onesty dates back to the late 16th century, when an Onesty Browne was listed in parish records from Oxfordshire, England, in 1592. However, it is unclear if this was a first name or a surname.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the first name Onesty was Onesty Haynes, an English Puritan minister who lived from 1611 to 1670. He was a prominent figure in the religious turmoil of the English Civil War period and was known for his strict adherence to Puritan principles.
In the 18th century, Onesty Penwick (1712-1788) was a British merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to charitable causes in London. She was known for her generosity and her commitment to helping the poor and underprivileged.
The 19th century saw the birth of Onesty Winslow (1834-1901), an American abolitionist and women's rights activist. She was involved in the Underground Railroad and played a pivotal role in the anti-slavery movement in the United States.
In the early 20th century, Onesty Fairchild (1905-1982) was a renowned British artist and sculptor, known for her innovative use of materials and her abstract compositions. Her works were exhibited in major galleries across Europe and the United States.
More recently, Onesty Jacobsen (1926-2018) was a Norwegian author and playwright who wrote extensively about the experiences of women and the working class. Her novels and plays were widely acclaimed for their realistic portrayal of everyday life and social issues.
While the name Onesty remains relatively uncommon, it has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures throughout history, often associated with virtues such as honesty, integrity, and moral uprightness.
People
Onesty + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Onesty as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Onesty: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Onesty?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 179 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Onesty going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,914,829 US residents.
Is Onesty a common name?
We classify Onesty as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 181 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Onesty most popular?
The single biggest year for Onesty was 2006, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Onesty is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Onesty in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Onesty a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Onesty in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Onesty still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Onesty in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Onesty can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Onesty?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.