Meaning and background
The story behind Onyx
Onyx already has a valid gemstone definition in this catalogue, so the useful improvement is its linguistic background rather than replacing that meaning. The stone name travelled into English through Latin and Greek; Greek *ónyx* also meant a fingernail or claw, a reference associated with the mineral's appearance. That older image is more specific than generic claims about strength or mystery. Onyx is also distinct in spelling from Onix.
- Origin
- English gemstone word via Latin onyx from Greek ónyx, meaning fingernail or claw. Source
Try Onyx out loud
Everyday moments“Onyx, come here!”
Say it as you would on a walk or at home. Does it feel natural alongside your usual commands and other pets’ names?
About Onyx
a banded variety of chalcedony
- Word language
- English
More about the name
Onyx offers a gemstone reference with a sharp final sound. Black onyx is a familiar association, but the mineral sense is not simply a translation of the word black.
About this meaning
Language of the selected vocabulary reference; full personal-name derivation not asserted.
Recorded as a dog’s name
Onyx appears in 87 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/ɑnɪks/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/ɑnɪks/ · primary stress on syllable 1AA1 N IH0 K S
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Editorial styles
In NameKennel collections
Editorial selections, not evidence of linguistic origin, suitability or popularity.
Sources and research notes (3)
Gender association: NYC licence-period records. Any dog can use this name.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — extract_year 2026 — Dog licence periods, not unique dogs; NYC only. No owner-level fields retrieved.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
- Wiktionary contributors onyx — English section — Selected dictionary sense, not proof of each dog owner's naming intent or complete personal-name etymology
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.