Bonetta is an uncommon given name of Italian origin, meaning 'beautiful one'. It is derived from the Italian word 'bella', which means beautiful, and has been used as a female name in Italy since medieval times. The name Bonetta was brought to prominence by its association with the remarkable story of Sarah (Saartjie) Baartman, an African woman who was exhibited in Europe under the stage name "The Hottentot Venus". Born into the Griqua community near Cape Town in South Africa around 1789-1790, Baartman's distinctive physical features made her a subject of curiosity and exploitation during her time in Europe. Despite its controversial past, Bonetta remains an uncommon but noteworthy name choice for parents seeking to honor diverse cultural heritage or pay tribute to extraordinary individuals like Sarah Baartman.
The name Bonetta experienced periods of popularity with peaks in the mid-1930s and late 1940s to early 1950s, with fewer than ten births each year from 1962 onwards.