Onyx is a Greek word name — from onyx, the black-and-white layered gemstone — that has been rising in American girls' naming for several years. With about 1,627 SSA records and a 2023 peak, it belongs to the gemstone-as-name trend but occupies its darkest, most dramatic corner: not Ruby or Pearl or Jade, but Onyx — sleek, ebony-colored, edge-adjacent without being outright goth.
Greek Roots: The Claw Stone
The Greek word onyx literally means "nail" or "claw" ; the stone was named for the way its layered bands resembled a fingernail. The gemstone itself is a form of chalcedony, typically black with white bands, used in ancient jewelry, cameos, and seals. Greek gemstone and mineral names like Onyx, Crystal, and Jade have moved in and out of American naming fashion in waves; Onyx is the darkest option in a category more typically associated with softer, lighter stones. The etymology ; fingernail ; is not the stone's most appealing feature, but the stone itself is genuinely striking.
The Gemstone Name Renaissance
Gemstone names have surged in the past decade: Jade, Ruby, Pearl, Opal, Emerald, Jasper, Onyx. The trend runs parallel to the broader move toward nature-material names (Forrest, River, Stone) and reflects a preference for names that feel grounded in the physical world. Rising gemstone and mineral names tend to cluster aesthetically ; parents who choose Onyx are probably not also considering Pearl. Onyx lands in a darker, more dramatic aesthetic register that pairs with Raven, Storm, and Ember.
The Counter-Reading: The Video Game Association
Onyx is also a Pokémon ; a Rock-type from the original Generation I games, known as Geodude's evolution path. That association is benign but immediate for anyone who grew up with Pokémon, and it may cause a child some gentle ribbing. The name's gemstone meaning and striking aesthetic far outweigh that reference for most families, but it's worth knowing. Compare Onyx and Jade to see how the darkest and one of the most established gemstone names differ in their American trajectories.