Onyx catches the eye without asking for attention. Its deep color, polished shine, & natural bands make it feel mysterious, grounded, and quietly powerful. For parents drawn to names that mean onyx, the richest choices include direct gemstone names, words for black and shadow, night inspired names, and mythological figures connected with darkness.
Some options below literally refer to onyx or another dark mineral. Others capture the stone’s visual character, protective symbolism, or midnight coloring, giving you meaningful choices without pretending every name is a direct translation.
Names That Mean Onyx & Polished Black Stone
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Onyx | Greek | Banded gemstone; from a word meaning claw or fingernail |
| Ónix | Spanish | Spanish word for onyx |
| Ônix | Portuguese | Portuguese word for onyx |
| Onice | Italian | Italian word for onyx |
| Oniks | Polish | Polish word for onyx |
| Onyks | Danish | Danish word for onyx |
| Onüks | Turkish | Turkish word for onyx |
| Onikso | Esperanto | Onyx gemstone |
| Sardonyx | Greek | Banded stone combining sard and onyx |
| Sard | Greek | Reddish brown chalcedony used in sardonyx |
| Agate | Greek | Banded chalcedony gemstone |
| Chalcedony | Greek | Fine grained quartz family containing onyx |
| Jet | English | Glossy black organic gemstone |
| Obsidian | Latin | Naturally formed black volcanic glass |
| Shungite | Russian | Carbon rich black mineral stone |
| Basalt | Latin | Dark volcanic rock |
| Flint | English | Hard dark quartz based stone |
The most literal names that mean onyx are Onyx and its international spellings. These choices carry the stone itself into your baby’s name, complete with its smooth surface, striking bands, & ancient Greek roots.
Girl Names with Onyx Black Beauty
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ciara | Irish | Dark or black |
| Ciar | Irish | Dark haired or black |
| Keira | Irish | Feminine form linked with dark or black |
| Melanie | Greek | Black or dark |
| Melaina | Greek | Black or dark |
| Charna | Yiddish | Black or dark |
| Laila | Arabic | Night |
| Layla | Arabic | Night |
| Leila | Persian and Arabic | Night; also associated with dark beauty |
| Samira | Sanskrit | Evening breeze |
| Rajani | Sanskrit | Night |
| Yamini | Sanskrit | Night |
| Nisha | Sanskrit | Night |
| Nishaath | Arabic | or liveliness; visually night linkedEnergy or liveliness; visually night linked |
| Asra | Arabic | Night journey |
| Lilith | Akkadian | Of the night |
| Amaya | Japanese and Basque | Night rain in one Japanese reading; the end in Basque |
These feminine names that mean onyx by association lean into darkness, evening, & black coloring. Ciara feels bright and familiar, while Rajani and Yamini bring the softness of a sky settling into night.
Boy Names with Dark Mineral Strength
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ciarán | Irish | Little dark one |
| Kieran | Irish | Anglicized form of Ciarán |
| Keir | Scottish | Dark or dusky |
| Dubhán | Irish | Little dark one |
| Douglas | Scottish Gaelic | Dark river |
| Blake | Old English | Black or pale, depending on the root |
| Cole | English | Charcoal black |
| Colby | Old Norse | Coal settlement |
| Corbin | French | Raven |
| Bran | Welsh | Raven |
| Bertram | Germanic | Bright raven |
| Wolfram | Germanic | Wolf raven |
| Krishna | Sanskrit | Dark or black |
| Shyam | Sanskrit | Dark colored |
| Shyamal | Sanskrit | Dark or deep blue black |
| Aswad | Arabic | Black |
| Siyah | Persian | Black |
Many boy names that mean onyx echo the stone’s dense coloring rather than the mineral itself. Ciarán, Cole, Krishna, & Aswad all have authentic connections to darkness or blackness, creating a strong visual link without forcing the meaning.
Gender Neutral Names with Midnight Shine
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Raven | English | Black bird |
| Crow | English | Dark feathered bird |
| Sable | French | Black; also a dark fur |
| Ebony | English | Deep black hardwood |
| Indigo | Greek through English | Deep blue violet color |
| Ash | English | Ash tree or pale fire residue |
| Slate | English | Fine grained gray black stone |
| Shadow | English | Dark shape formed when light is blocked |
| Midnight | English | Middle of the night |
| Night | English | Darkness between sunset and sunrise |
| Dusk | English | Fading light before night |
| Storm | English | Powerful weather event |
| Inkwell | English | Vessel holding dark writing ink |
| Noir | French | Black |
| Kuro | Japanese | Black |
| Yami | Japanese | Darkness |
| Bao | Chinese | Treasure or precious object |
For a modern sound, these gender neutral names that mean onyx through color or atmosphere feel especially wearable. Sable is sleek, Raven is dramatic, & Slate has the cool matte character of a freshly cut stone.
Shadow, Night & Eclipse Inspired Names
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Nox | Latin | Night |
| Nyx | Greek | Night |
| Umbra | Latin | Shadow |
| Vesper | Latin | Evening |
| Hesper | Greek | Evening |
| Selene | Greek | Moon |
| Luna | Latin | Moon |
| Tsukiko | Japanese | Moon child |
| Chandra | Sanskrit | Moon |
| Qamar | Arabic | Moon |
| Hilal | Arabic | Crescent moon |
| Mahtab | Persian | Moonlight |
| Aylin | Turkish | Moon halo |
| Neoma | Greek | New moon |
| Eclipse | Greek through English | Obscuring of a celestial body |
| Caligo | Latin | Mist, gloom, or darkness |
| Tenebra | Latin inspired | Darkness |
A black gemstone seems to hold a piece of the night inside it. That is why lunar, eclipse, & shadow names fit naturally beside names that mean onyx, especially when you want mystery without choosing a color word.
Raven & Black Feather Names
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Corvus | Latin | Raven or crow |
| Corvin | Latin | Raven like |
| Korbin | Germanic and English | Variant of Corbin, raven |
| Raban | Germanic | Raven |
| Hraban | Old Germanic | Raven |
| Bram | Germanic | Often a short form of Abraham; ravenlike sound association |
| Branwen | Welsh | White or blessed raven |
| Brangwen | Welsh | Variant of Branwen |
| Merle | French | Blackbird |
| Lonan | Irish | Little blackbird |
| Enara | Basque | Swallow |
| Palila | Hawaiian | A Hawaiian honeycreeper |
| Avis | Latin | Bird |
| Birdie | English | Little bird |
| Faigel | Yiddish | Bird |
| Tori | Japanese | Bird in modern word association |
| Zipporah | Hebrew | Bird |
Ravens have glossy feathers that flash blue and violet, much like polished black onyx. Raven based choices add intelligence, watchfulness, & wild beauty to an onyx inspired name list.
Mythic Names Carved from Darkness
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Erebus | Greek Mythology | Primordial darkness |
| Achlys | Greek Mythology | Mist of death or misery |
| Hades | Greek Mythology | Unseen one; ruler of the underworld |
| Persephone | Greek Mythology | Underworld queen; meaning uncertain |
| Hecate | Greek Mythology | linked with magic and crossroadsGoddess linked with magic and crossroads |
| Thanatos | Greek Mythology | Death |
| Moros | Greek Mythology | Doom or fate |
| Hypnos | Greek Mythology | Sleep |
| Asteria | Greek Mythology | Of the stars |
| Astraeus | Greek Mythology | Starry one |
| Kelaino | Greek Mythology | Black, dark, or murky |
| Morrígan | Irish Mythology | Great queen or phantom queen |
| Badb | Irish Mythology | Crow |
| Anubis | Egyptian Mythology | Funerary god; name meaning uncertain |
| Nephthys | Egyptian Mythology | Lady of the temple enclosure |
| Hel | Norse Mythology | Hidden one; ruler of the dead |
| Máni | Norse Mythology | Moon |
Greek tradition linked the word onyx with a fingernail or claw, and later stories connected the gemstone with the nails of Aphrodite. Mythic names that mean onyx thematically can therefore draw from Greek darkness, celestial figures, & underworld imagery.
Rare Names with Black, Dusky & Deep Meanings
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adham | Arabic | Very dark or black |
| Asmar | Arabic | Dark brown or dusky |
| Samra | Arabic | Dark complexioned or brown |
| Esmer | Turkish | Brunette or dark complexioned |
| Əsmər | Azerbaijani | Dark skinned or brown |
| Kuroko | Japanese | Black child in literal element readings |
| Kokutan | Japanese | Ebony wood |
| Kala | Sanskrit | Black; also time in different contexts |
| Kali | Sanskrit | Black one |
| Kaalika | Sanskrit | The dark one |
| Neel | Sanskrit | Dark blue |
| Nilanjana | Sanskrit | Dark blue or kohl colored |
| Dubh | Irish | Black |
| Duff | Scottish Gaelic | Dark |
| Donndubhán | Irish | Brown dark little one |
| Mavros | Greek | Black |
| Maurus | Latin | Dark skinned or Moorish |
Rare names that mean onyx are often found through genuine words for black, dusky color, ebony, or blue black tones. Before choosing one from a language outside your own culture, check its pronunciation, customary gender, & everyday use with a fluent speaker.
Choosing an Onyx Inspired Name
Onyx is banded chalcedony, not simply any black stone. Although black onyx is the best known variety, natural onyx may show white, brown, or reddish layers, giving the name a richer story than darkness alone.
When comparing names that mean onyx, decide which quality moves you most. You may love its color, ancient origin, polished elegance, protective reputation, or the contrast between dark bands and pale light.
Faqs
Does Onyx literally mean black gemstone?
Onyx names the banded gemstone, but its Greek root originally referred to a claw or fingernail.
Is Onyx suitable for a girl or a boy?
Onyx is widely treated as gender neutral because it is an English gemstone name.
Which name feels closest to Onyx without using the exact word?
Sable, Jet, Obsidian, Slate, & Ebony offer the clearest dark gemstone or color connection.
Are all names that mean onyx direct translations?
No, many are thematic choices meaning black, night, shadow, raven, stone, or precious treasure.
What middle names sound good with Onyx?
Soft classics such as Onyx Rose, Onyx James, Onyx Elise, & Onyx Alexander balance its bold sound.