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Name Lineage

    The first name Horatio

    A boy’s name from Latin meaning “timekeeper”.

    Pronounced /həˈɹeɪʃiəʊ/ 3 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    Horatio means “timekeeper” in Latin.

    From Latin Horātius, a Roman gens name of uncertain meaning, possibly “timekeeper”. Doublet of Horace.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 7 boys were named Horatio, making it the 2,952nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 26 births (#1,074).

    01530 1996200020052010201520202025
    267
    babies named Horatio, 1996–2025
    #2,952
    rank in 2025
    2015
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Horatio at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 6 boys born in the United States were named Horatio, the 11,171st most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 40 were.

    02040 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,443
    babies named Horatio since 1880
    #11,171
    rank in 2025
    2007
    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.

    Famous people named Horatio

    24 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Horatio Alger
      American novelist (1832–1899)
    • Horatio Gates
      American general in the American Revolutionary War (1727–1806)
    • Horatio Seymour
      American politician (1810–1886)
    • Horatio Greenough
      American artist (1805-1852)
    • Horatio Parker
      American composer and teacher (1863–1919)
    • Horatio Fitch
      Athletics competitor (1900–1985)
    • Horatio Caro
      British chess player (1862–1920)
    • Horatio Sanz
      American actor and comedian, born 1969
    • Richard James Horatio Gottheil
      American Semitic scholar and Zionist (1862–1936)
    • Horatio Frederick Phillips
      British aviation engineer (1845-1926)
    • Horatio Bottomley
      English financier, journalist, editor, newspaper proprietor, swindler, and Member of Parli, 1860–1933
    • Horatio Spafford
      American poet and lawyer (1828–1888)

    More Latin boys’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Horatio mean?
    Horatio means “timekeeper” in Latin.
    What is the origin of the name Horatio?
    From Latin Horātius, a Roman gens name of uncertain meaning, possibly “timekeeper”. Doublet of Horace.
    How popular is the name Horatio?
    In 2025, 7 boys born in England and Wales were named Horatio, ranking 2,952nd. Its peak was 2015, with 26 births.
    Is Horatio a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,443 US babies named Horatio since 1880 were boys.
    When was Horatio most popular?
    2007 in the United States, when 40 babies were named Horatio, its highest rank at 2,945th.
    How do you pronounce Horatio?
    Horatio is /həˈɹeɪʃiəʊ/, 3 syllables.