Onofrio

Onofrio is an Italian male given name and surname, derived from Onuphrius.

Etymology

The name Onuphrius is the Latinized form of Greek Onouphrios, which itself comes from the Egyptian wnn-nfr, meaning "he who is good, he who is happy". This phrase was an epithet of the god Osiris, a central figure in ancient Egyptian mythology. Osiris was the god of fertility, agriculture, and the dead, and his name may be related to the Egyptian words wsr "mighty" or jrt "eye". The name Onouphrios was later used by an Egyptian saint and hermit from the 4th or 5th century, Saint Onuphrius, who is venerated in Christian traditions. The Italian form Onofrio thus carries the name's religious and historical heritage into Italian culture.

Notable Bearers

Several notable Italians have borne the name Onofrio. Among them are:

• Onofrio Avellino (1674–1741), a painter known for allegorical and mythological works.
• Onofrio Barone (born 1964), a former football player and coach.
• Onofrio Catacchio (born 1964), a comics artist.
• Onofrio Gabrielli (1619–1706), a painter of the Baroque period.
• Onofrio Palumbo (1606–1650s), a painter active in Naples.
• Onofrio Panvinio (1529–1568), an Augustinian friar, historian, and antiquary who wrote on Roman antiquities.
• Onofrio de Ponte (died 1676) and Onofrio de Santa Croce (died 1471), both Roman Catholic cardinals.
• Onofrio Sciortino (died 1959), an Italian-American mobster.

Cultural Significance

In medieval and Renaissance Italy, the name Onofrio was popularized through devotion to Saint Onuphrius, the Egyptian hermit. The saint's feast day is celebrated on June 12. The name also appears as a surname, with the variant D'Onofrio being a common patronymic form meaning "son of Onofrio". Linguistically, Onofrio is related to other European forms such as the Spanish Onofre and the Ukrainian Onufriy, as well as the Egyptian mythological forms Onouphrios and Onnophris.

• Meaning: He who is good, he who is happy
• Origin: Egyptian, via Greek and Latin
• Type: Given name and surname
• Usage regions: Italy