Nonito Donaire was born in Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, to Filipino parents, Nonito Sr. and Imelda Donaire. He is the third among four siblings: Glenn, Rochelle Donaire-Nasalga and Ermie. Back then, there was no electricity in Bohol. He grew up in General Santos City, South Cotabato, where he lived until age six and went to the same school as boxing icon eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. His father, a second year high school dropout, was in the Philippine Army for eight years and fought as an amateur before trying his luck alone in the US in 1990. In 1993, at the age of eleven, he had joined his father in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California and they lived in San Leandro in the Bay Area, later moving to San Mateo.
In childhood, Donaire was a frail, asthmatic and wimpy kid who got bullied in school and frequently came home crying. He was picked on for three years, until a little after he migrated to San Leandro. At home, he felt no attention was paid to him, as a middle child. He wanted to be recognized by his parents, especially his father. As soon as his brother started boxing, ten year old Nonito craved the respect and recognition his brother received, and started it. His father took him to a boxing gym at age eleven to get him off the streets. In his first amateur bout as a child, he beat his opponent with straight punches, all the while thinking that "I’m going to kill him before he kills me." However, he had little confidence until he earned five professional knockout victories.
During their younger years, Donaire and his older brother Glenn would spar, with the younger brother losing the majority of their bouts. As a kid, Donaire watched videos of his hero Alexis Argüello, using them to learn how to throw his powerful left hook. While in San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo, California the brothers won an assortment of regional and district amateur boxing championships. His cousin, Richard Donaire, is also a professional boxer.
Donaire is married to Rachel Marcial, a Filipino-American USA National Collegiate and Military Taekwondo Champion. They were married on August 8, 2008 in a private ceremony in Carmel, California, with all their close relatives. Subsequently, they had a church wedding in the Philippines on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11). Donaire's wife is a pivotal member of his team, with her father acting as his chief security. His parents-in-law, Gerry and Rebecca Marcial, are the leading members of his support group.
During his early career, he had hated boxing. Due to excessive pressure, he had not only never enjoyed boxing, but had even dreaded it every day. Nevertheless, he did stick with it because he did not want to disappoint his father. Currently, he always fights for such people who support him and believe in him, and finally for himself, so he loves and enjoys boxing.
On July 4, 2013, his pregnant wife saved a child from drowning and got injured in the process. She was brought to a hospital and the unborn baby in her womb was unharmed.
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