Boy · #10,743 in 2026

Bon

Bon or Bön, also known as Yungdrung Bon, is the indigenous Tibetan religion which shares many similarities and influences with Tibetan Buddhism but retains elements from earlier Tibetan religious traditions. Bon is a significant minority religion in Tibet, especially in the east, as well as in the surrounding Himalayan regions.

Current Rank
#10,743
Peak Rank
#3,078 (1988)
Total Babies
269
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1926
First Year
2016
Last Year
1988
Peak Year
#3078
Peak Rank
269
Total Count
35
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Bon

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Bon or Bön, also known as Yungdrung Bon, is the indigenous Tibetan religion which shares many similarities and influences with Tibetan Buddhism but retains elements from earlier Tibetan religious traditions. Bon is a significant minority religion in Tibet, especially in the east, as well as in the surrounding Himalayan regions.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Early Western studies of Bon relied heavily on Buddhist sources, and used the word to refer to the pre-Buddhist religion over which it was thought Buddhism triumphed. Helmut Hoffmann's 1950 study of Bon characterised this religion as "animism" and "shamanism"; these characterisations have been controversial. Hoffmann contrasted this animistic-shamanistic folk religion with the organised priesthood of Bonpos which developed later, Shaivism , Buddhist tantras . [ clarification needed ] Hoffmann's study was foundational for Western understandings of Bon, but was challenged by a later generation o
Origin & history
A manuscript containing a Buddhist criticism of an ancient Bon funeral ritual

The Story of Bon

The earliest SSA record of Bon as a baby boy name dates back to 1926, when 5 babies received it. 1988 was its biggest year on record, with 17 newborns named Bon — #3,078 in the national rankings. About 32% of every Bon on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. Bon last appeared in the published SSA data in 2016, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 269 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1920s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Bon

Phonetically similar names — useful when Bon is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bon

What does the name Bon mean?
Bon or Bön, also known as Yungdrung Bon, is the indigenous Tibetan religion which shares many similarities and influences with Tibetan Buddhism but retains elements from earlier Tibetan religious traditions. Bon is a significant minority religion in Tibet, especially in the east, as well as in the surrounding Himalayan regions.
How popular is Bon in 2026?
In 2026, Bon ranks #10,743 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Bon most popular?
Bon reached its peak popularity in 1988, ranking #3,078 that year with 17 babies given the name.
Is Bon a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Bon is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Bon?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Bon include Glenden, Breland, Mikie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Glenden
Peak #3078
👦
Breland
Peak #3078
👦
Mikie
Peak #3078
👦
Ashok
Peak #3078
👦
Alcides
Peak #3078
👦
Shelvin
Peak #3078
👦
Kerrie
Peak #3078
👦
Sharrieff
Peak #3078

About the name Bon

Bon is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1926 and has accumulated 269 births in the dataset. Bon's peak popularity came in 1988 when it ranked #3,078. Use the chart and map above to compare Bon's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.