Horatio
How to say it: huh-RAY-shee-oh · /həˈreɪʃioʊ/
From Roman clan name Horatius of uncertain meaning - literary via Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Horatio was the 10,052nd most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 6 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 21% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #12,760 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #10,052 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 6 |
| Share of births | 1 in 552,557 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −21% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #12,760 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Horatio peaked in the 1880s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Horatio is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
Famous people named Horatio
- Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (1850–1916)Irish officer and colonial administrator in the British Army
- Horatio Alger (1832–1899)American novelist
- Horatio Gates (1727–1806)American general in the American Revolutionary War
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Horatio reads as Hamlet's loyal friend in Shakespeare's tragedy
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