The surname Bonora and its variant Bonura have an anthroponymic origin of an auspicious character, typical of the medieval Italian tradition. According to E. De Felice, it derives from the name Bonóra, documented from the 12th century in forms such as Bonora, Bonaora and Buonora, formed from buon'ora ("good hour"). This name expressed the idea of a "favourable time" or even "at last", in reference to a long-awaited child or to one for whom fortune and happiness were wished.

From the point of view of diffusion, E. De Felice notes that the surname is frequent in northern Italy, especially in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia, while the variant Bonura appears in western Sicily. This distribution reflects a regional expansion with phonetic adaptations according to the linguistic areas.

For his part, F. De Laurentiis confirms this interpretation, explaining that the name is formed by the union of buono ("good") and ora ("hour, moment"), with the sense of "favourable moment" or "at last", especially in the expression alla buon'ora. As a whole, both interpretations agree in pointing to an origin linked to an auspicious name that celebrated the birth of a child and projected onto him a wish of good fortune.