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Boy name · Latin

Diego

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus

Diego is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus". It is used in Italian.

Meaning
Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus
Origin
Latin
Gender
Boy
US rank
#158 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Diego

As a boy's name, Diego comes from Latin and means "Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus". It is used in Italian.

In Spanish, say DYEH-goh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.

Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names

Diego on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Diego on 2 lists.

  • “Possibly a short form of Santiago; Spanish. No. 7 in 2020 (INEGI). Say DYEH-goh”

    From Mexican boy names, popular Mexican boy names (INEGI 2020)

  • “Honors Rivera, Mexico's great muralist”

    From Taco Bell chihuahua name, boy chihuahua names

How popular is Diego?

US rank in 2025
#158
2,351 babies, 1,376 per million boys
Best rank
#56 in 2006
8,403 babies that year
Babies since 1887
At least 126,160
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2000s, at 2,808 per million.
Babies named Diego per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2000s
1880s5 per million
1890s0 per million
1900s4 per million
1910s17 per million
1920s18 per million
1930s18 per million
1940s15 per million
1950s17 per million
1960s33 per million
1970s75 per million
1980s211 per million
1990s691 per million
2000s2,808 per million
2010s1,776 per million
2020s1,584 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#130#129#135#129#126#126#124#135#145#158

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Names spelled like Diego

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • DaehoGreat and vast (depends on hanja) (Korean, boy)
  • DaigoGreat enlightenment (depends on kanji) (Japanese, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
  • AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
  • JulietaSpanish and Portuguese form of Juliet (Latin, girl)
  • SabrinaFrom Sabrina, the Latin name of the River Severn (Welsh, girl)
  • ArthurOf uncertain Celtic origin (Celtic, boy)
  • CatalinaSpanish form of Katherine, later linked to Greek pure (Greek, girl)
  • HesterLatin form of Esther (Hebrew, girl)
  • JustinFrom Latin Iustinus, derived from Justus, just (Latin, boy)
  • MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
  • OwenAnglicized form of Owain, possibly from Latin Eugenius (Welsh, boy)
  • TelmoFrom a Spanish name for Saint Elmo (Spanish, boy)
  • VegaMeadow in Spanish; in English, the bright star (Spanish and Arabic, girl)
  • XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
  • AikateriniGreek form of Katherine, of debated origin (Greek, girl)
  • AlannaFeminine form of Alan; uncertain, perhaps little rock (Brythonic, girl)

Middle names for Diego

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.

  • EdwardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
  • GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
  • HeathMoorland (English, boy)
  • LaurenceFrom Laurentum, a Roman town (Latin, boy)
  • MaximilianThe greatest (Latin, boy)
  • PatrickNobleman, patrician (Latin, boy)
  • RobertBright fame (Germanic, boy)
  • TobiasGod is good (Hebrew, boy)

More boy names from Latin

  • LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
  • MaxThe greatest (Latin, boy)
  • AdrianFrom Hadria (Latin, boy)
  • FelixLucky, happy (Latin, boy)
  • MartinDedicated to Mars (Latin, boy)
  • OliverOlive tree (Latin, boy)
  • AugustExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
  • MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
  • MarcoOf Mars (Latin, boy)
  • MarcusOf Mars (Latin, boy)
  • PaulSmall, humble (Latin, boy)
  • VictorThe conqueror (Latin, boy)
  • VincentConquering one (Latin, boy)
  • CelestinoHeavenly (Latin, boy)
  • ClemensMerciful (Latin, boy)
  • ConstantineConstant, steadfast (Latin, boy)
  • DanteEnduring, steadfast (Latin, boy)
  • EmilianoRival, striving to equal (Latin, boy)

Diego: common questions

What does the name Diego mean?

Diego comes from Latin and means "Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus".

Is Diego a boy or girl name?

Diego is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 5 girls and 2,351 boys in the US were named Diego, according to Social Security Administration data.

Where does the name Diego come from?

Diego comes from Latin and means "Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin Didacus". Today it is used in Italian.

How popular is the name Diego?

Diego ranked #158 in the US in 2025, with 2,351 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Diego?

Names spelled like Diego include Daeho and Daigo.

What middle names go with Diego?

Middle names that flow well with Diego include Edward, Grant, Heath, Laurence and Maximilian. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.