Boy name · Latin
Diego
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: Spanish name of uncertain origin, often linked with Latin DidacusDiego 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
| 1880s | 5 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 4 per million |
| 1910s | 17 per million |
| 1920s | 18 per million |
| 1930s | 18 per million |
| 1940s | 15 per million |
| 1950s | 17 per million |
| 1960s | 33 per million |
| 1970s | 75 per million |
| 1980s | 211 per million |
| 1990s | 691 per million |
| 2000s | 2,808 per million |
| 2010s | 1,776 per million |
| 2020s | 1,584 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.

