Baby Name of the Day: Onnolee

The baby name Onnolee takes local legend, combines it with an iconic song, and hides in the popularity data across most of the twentieth century and beyond.

Thanks to Caitlin for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME ONNOLEE MEAN?

It’s tempting to interpret Onnolee as a form of the girl’s name Annalee. 

Plenty of names swap O for A and back again: Honora, Onora, and Anora. Olivia and Alivia. Andrea and Ondrea. In every case, one is more common – but the other one makes sense, too. In fact, parents often choose Ondrea or Alivia to emphasize a preferred pronunciation.

Could Onnolee be the same?

Maybe.

But there’s another story, and it’s far more intriguing. Reader comments suggest it’s a likely source of inspiration for many parents.

THE LEGEND OF ONNOLEE

American legend has it that Onnolee was the daughter of a tribal chief, living in the Finger Lakes region of New York. 

By most accounts, Onnolee was the last surviving member of the Munsee tribe of Native Americans following an attack by a neighboring tribe. She was spared, because the leader of the Mengnee tribe wanted her as a captive.

Instead of meekly accepting her fate, Onnolee stabbed her captor, and ran. After fleeing, the ran toward Hemlock Lake, with her captors in pursuit. The princess jumped to her own death. 

It’s said to have happened in the 14th century. Storytellers insist that Onnolee’s ghost still rises from the waters of the lake.

Both Hemlock Lake and neighboring Canadice Lake were once popular vacation destinations for weekend visitors.

Nineteenth century poet W.H.C. Hosmer wrote about Onnolee, as well as many other Native American stories from history and legend.

If you spent time in the Finger Lakes region, Onnolee was almost certainly perceived as a romantic, poetic name.

HOW ABOUT HONALEE?

Let’s stick around New York for a minute, because here’s where it gets really interesting. 

You’re probably heard the song “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

First recorded in 1963, by folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, it became a major hit. And a significant source of controversy.

The fictional land where Puff the Magic Dragon and his human friend, little Jackie Paper, frolicked in the autumn mist was called Honalee. 

Critics insisted it was all a thinly veiled drug reference. 

But the folk song was inspired by a verse written by LennyLipton. Lipton was Peter Yarrow’s friend at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York – smack in the middle of the Finger Lakes region. And Yarrow was the Peter of Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Apparently, Lipton left the random musings in a shared typewriter.

IS ONNOLEE A NATIVE AMERICAN NAME?

The issues around choosing Native American names aside, it’s not clear if Onnolee or Honalee would’ve been a plausible name for a 14th century member of the Munsee tribe.

The Munsee belong to the Lenape people, and their languages are part of the Algonquian language group.

Possibly the name has been Anglicized beyond recognition. The same process that transformed Lechaweki to Lehigh and Minisink to Munsee could have smoothed a less approachable name.

What we know for certain, from both the famous song and the stories of many New York state residents? Onnolee and Honalee were in the air, and had been for ages.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ONNOLEE?

The baby name Onnolee has never appeared in the US Top 1000. 

But given the many possible spellings and variations, that’s not the final word.

In the year 2023:

• Fewer than five girls were named Onnolee, Onnalee, or Honalee
• 12 girls were named Onalee

That’s incredibly rare.

And yet, 202 girls were named Annalee in 2023, along with Anali (92 girls), Annalie (66 girls), Analie (55 girls), Analee (54 girls), Annali (22 girls), Annelie (8 girls), Anelie (6 girls), Annaley (5 girls), with many more variations heard.

While Onnolee has always been among the rare names, it was more popular during the 1920s.

It’s possible that increased tourism in the Finger Lakes region meant more future parents heard the story of Onnolee.

Then again, names like Rosalee and Marilee were on the rise during the 1920s, suggesting that the baby name Onnolee just fit the moment.

ROMANTIC RARITY

Overall, the baby name Onnolee feels romantic and rare.

With ties to legend and folklore, it’s a New York state name. The song makes it more universal.

If some form of this name appears on your family tree, or if you’d like to celebrate your roots in the New York region, then his might be the perfect name for a daughter.

What do you think of the baby name Onnolee?

First published on June 13, 2012, this post was updated on April 28, 2025.