It comes from the Scots language word "bonnie" (handsome, pretty, attractive), or the French bonne (good).

The name then declined in popularity but has again risen in usage for girls in the United States in recent years and has been ranked among the 1,000 most popular names for newborn girls there since 2014.

Other related names, also containing the word element bon, meaning good or attractive in various languages, include the Italian Bona and the Spanish Bonita.

Some related given names or surnames include Bonaccorso, Bonaparte, Bonaventura, Boniface, Bonilla, and Bueno.

The increase in usage of the name coincides with its use for characters in movie and television productions.