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    The first name Horace

    A boy’s name from Latin.

    Pronounced /ˈhɔɹəs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    From Latin Horatius, a Roman family name of obscure origin, possibly from Etruscan. Doublet of Horatio.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Horace last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2010, with 6 births (#2,941).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    51
    babies named Horace, 1996–2025
    #5,119
    rank in 2024
    2010
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Horace with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Horace at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 14 boys born in the United States were named Horace, the 6,245th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 1,313 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    54,356
    babies named Horace since 1880
    #6,245
    rank in 2025
    1921
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Horace in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Horacio
    Esperanto
    Οράτιος
    Orátios
    Greek
    Horás
    Irish
    Orazio
    Italian
    Horatius
    Latin
    Horacy
    Polish
    Horácio
    Portuguese
    Horațiu
    Romanian
    Гораций
    Goracij
    Russian
    Horacio
    Spanish
    Гора́цій
    Horácij
    Ukrainian

    Spelled Horace in French too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Horace

    • Horry

    Famous people named Horace

    67 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Horace Walpole
      English writer and politician (1717–1797)
    • Horace Greeley
      American politician and publisher (1811–1872)
    • Horace Bénédict de Saussure
      Genevan scientist (1740–1799)
    • Horace Vernet
      French painter (1789–1863)
    • Horace Silver
      American jazz pianist and composer (1928–2014)
    • Horace Parnell Tuttle
      American astronomer (1837–1923)
    • Horace Grant
      American basketball player (born 1965)
    • Horace McCoy
      American writer (1897–1955)
    • Horace W. Babcock
      American astronomer (1912–2003)
    • Horace Lamb
      English mathematician (*1849 – †1934)
    • Horace Ashenfelter
      American athletics competitor (1923-2018)
    • Horace Wells
      American dentist and anaesthesia pioneer (1815-1848)

    More Latin boys’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Horace mean?
    From Latin Horatius, a Roman family name of obscure origin, possibly from Etruscan. Doublet of Horatio.
    What is the origin of the name Horace?
    From Latin Horatius, a Roman family name of obscure origin, possibly from Etruscan. Doublet of Horatio.
    How popular is the name Horace?
    In 2024, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Horace, ranking 5,119th. Its peak was 2010, with 6 births.
    What are nicknames for Horace?
    Common nicknames for Horace include Horry.
    Is Horace a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 54,356 US babies named Horace since 1880 were boys.
    When was Horace most popular?
    1921 in the United States, when 1,313 babies were named Horace, its highest rank at 129th.
    How do you pronounce Horace?
    Horace is /ˈhɔɹəs/, 2 syllables.
    Is Horace also a surname?
    Yes. Horace is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.