Onsi

Onsi is a masculine given name of Arabic origin, used in Egypt and other Arab countries. It also appears as a surname in some families. The name is most prominently associated with the Egyptian business dynasty of the Sawiris family.

The most notable bearer is Onsi A. Sawiris, an Egyptian entrepreneur who founded the Orascom Group, a major conglomerate with interests across construction, manufacturing, and, in later decades, telecommunications and tourism. Under his leadership, the family business expanded significantly and laid the groundwork for what would become one of Egypt’s best-known business dynasties.

Onsi Sawiris’s sons—Naguib Sawiris, Nassef Sawiris, and Samih Sawiris—helped push the family into international prominence. They expanded the group’s footprint beyond Egypt into global markets through telecom, construction, and tourism ventures. Naguib became particularly known for large-scale telecommunications investments, while Nassef and Samih diversified into other sectors and built substantial portfolios in construction and tourism development, respectively. The Sawiris family has been described as one of Egypt’s wealthiest and most influential business families, with substantial impact on the country’s economic development in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Today, Onsi remains a recognized name in the Arab world, used as a given name and, less commonly, as a surname. Its most enduring association is with the Sawiris family and its role in shaping modern Egyptian industry.