Given name
Horatio
“the keeper of time”
Horatio is a variant of Horace. One Latin interpretation is “the keeper of time.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Horatio is a variant of Horace. One Latin interpretation is “the keeper of time.” Its derivation is not certain.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Horatio is a variant of Horace. A possible origin is Latin, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Horatio through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,443
- 1,443 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 40 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #11,171 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −44%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 11,171 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 40 in 2007. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,011 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Horatio’s family of names
In English usage, Horatio shares an earlier linguistic root with Horace. In English usage, Horatio has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form HORACY. Horatio has a related form in Horace.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Horatio has relatives in 3 languages.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Horatio
- Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount NelsonBritish admiral (1758–1805)
- Horatio AlgerAmerican novelist (1832–1899)
- Horatio GatesAmerican general in the American Revolutionary War (1727–1806)
- Horatio SeymourAmerican politician (1810–1886)
- Horatio Fitchathletics competitor (1900–1985)
- Horatio ParkerAmerican composer and teacher (1863–1919)
- Horatio GreenoughAmerican artist (1805-1852)
- Horatio CaroBritish chess player (1862–1920)
- Raich CarterEnglish footballer and manager (1913-1994)
Characters named Horatio: Horatio Hornblower (protagonist of C. S. Forester's novels), Sea Captain (The Simpsons character), Horatio Caine (fictional character on American television series CSI: Miami), Horatio (William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Horatio, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Claudio
“one who is lame”
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Fedrick is a form of Cedric. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is kind and loved; of the spectacular bounty.”
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“one who is willing and eager” · “from the hollow in the valley”
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“God is gracious”
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“the great one; one who is exalted”
92% boys · 8% girls