Boy’s name · Latin

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

#10,052for boys in 2025
1 in 552,557US babies
6born in 2025
#12,760projected for 2030
1880sits peak decade
under 1 in 200chance a classmate shares it

Key facts

Key facts about Horatio
Rank among boys’ names, 2025#10,052
Babies born in 20256
Share of births1 in 552,557
Peak decade1880s
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.

1900195020002020–25
Peak: 47 per million births, 1880s.

What goes with it

Nicknames

  • Horry
  • Ray

Honouring a Horatio in the family

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

From Wikidata and Wikipedia

Good to know

  • Horatio reads as Hamlet's loyal friend in Shakespeare's tragedy

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