Honest as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Honest

What is the meaning of the name Honest ?

The baby name Honest is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɒn.ɪst/ (ON-ist); US: /ˈɑn.ɪst/ (AH-nist).

Honest is English in Origin.

Honest is an English virtue name taken from the common noun honest, which entered Middle English via Old French honeste and ultimately Latin honestus, meaning “honorable, respectable,” from the root honor “esteem.” As a given name it signals truthfulness, integrity, and upright character, with a clear, plainspoken appeal.

Adopted sporadically in 17th-century England among Puritans who favored moral qualities as names, Honest appears for both sexes, though far less often than Charity, Grace, or Patience. In modern use it remains rare and gender-neutral across the English-speaking world. Variants and cognates include Honesty (English, often feminine), Honesta (English/Spanish), Honesto (Spanish/Portuguese, masculine), and Italian Onesto/Onesta; the Latin form Honestus occurs in historical and ecclesiastical records. All preserve the core sense of honorable conduct, making Honest and its relatives understated but resonant choices for families drawn to transparent, value-centered names.