Onica
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 248 living Americans carry the first name Onica. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Onica today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Onica births was 1998 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Onica. 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
248
~ 1 in 1,382,074 Americans
Peak year
1998
13 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2014 SSA rank
#11,693
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Onica: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Onica from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 81 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Onica remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Onica 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 Onica during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Onicas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Onica
The name Onica has its roots in the Latin language and can be traced back to the Roman era. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "unica," which means "unique" or "one of a kind." The name was likely given to children who were considered special or unique in some way.
During the Roman period, the name Onica was not very common, but it did appear in a few historical records and inscriptions. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Onica Rufina, a Roman woman who lived in the 2nd century AD. She was mentioned in a funerary inscription found in the city of Rome.
As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the name Onica gained some popularity among early Christian communities. It was seen as a suitable name for girls, as it conveyed the idea of being unique and special in the eyes of God.
In the Middle Ages, the name Onica appeared sporadically in various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Latin influences. One notable figure was Onica of Hesse, a German noblewoman who lived in the 12th century and was known for her philanthropy and patronage of the arts.
During the Renaissance period, the name Onica experienced a modest revival, particularly in Italy. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Onica Tornabuoni, an Italian poet and patron of the arts who lived in the 15th century. She was part of the influential Tornabuoni family and was renowned for her literary works and her support of artists and scholars.
In the 17th century, the name Onica found its way to the New World, where it was adopted by some Spanish and Portuguese settlers. One notable example is Onica de Guzmán, a Spanish woman who lived in colonial Mexico in the early 1600s and was known for her role in establishing a convent and promoting education for indigenous women.
Other notable individuals with the name Onica throughout history include Onica Visconti (14th century Italian noblewoman), Onica Borgia (16th century Italian aristocrat), and Onica Vázquez (17th century Spanish painter).
While the name Onica has never been extremely common, it has maintained a presence throughout various cultures and time periods, often associated with individuals who were considered unique, special, or accomplished in their respective fields.
People
Onica + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Onica 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
Onica: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Onica?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 248 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Onica 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 1,382,074 US residents.
Is Onica a common name?
We classify Onica as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 259 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Onica most popular?
The single biggest year for Onica was 1998, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Onica is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Onica a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Onica 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.
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.