Galileo
An Italian masculine name meaning "the milk-citizen from Galilee".
Name Census estimates that about 495 living Americans carry the first name Galileo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Galileo today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Galileo births was 2022 (44 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Galileo. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
495
~ 1 in 692,433 Americans
Peak year
2022
44 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,469
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Galileo: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Galileo from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 203 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Galileo by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Galileo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Galileos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Galileo
The name Galileo is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian form of the Latin name Galileus. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Galilean region, which was located in northern Israel during biblical times. The name is believed to have been derived from the Hebrew words "Galil" and "Galiyl," meaning "district" or "circle."
In the New Testament, the term "Galilean" was used to refer to the people of this region, including Jesus and his disciples. The name Galileo was likely adopted as a way to honor the connection to this significant biblical location and its association with the teachings of Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Galileo was in the 16th century when it was given to the renowned Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, and philosopher, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). Galileo Galilei is widely regarded as the father of modern observational astronomy, and his groundbreaking discoveries, including the observation of Jupiter's moons and the phases of Venus, played a crucial role in the scientific revolution.
Another notable figure who bore the name Galileo was the Italian sculptor and architect, Galileo Chini (1873-1956). He was a prominent figure in the Art Nouveau and Liberty style movements and is best known for his decorative ceramic works and architectural designs.
In the field of music, the name Galileo has been associated with the British progressive rock band Galileo Galilei, formed in the late 1960s. The band's name was a direct reference to the famous astronomer and his contributions to science.
Galileo Ferraris (1847-1897) was an Italian physicist and electrical engineer who made significant contributions to the development of alternating current (AC) motors and transformers. He is credited with the invention of the first AC induction motor, laying the foundation for the widespread use of AC power transmission.
Finally, the name Galileo was also given to Galileo Ferraris (1610-1685), an Italian Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Mazzara del Vallo in Sicily during the 17th century. While not as well-known as his namesake the astronomer, his position within the Church demonstrates the enduring popularity of the name Galileo among Italian families.
People
Galileo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Galileo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Galileo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Galileo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 495 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Galileo going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 692,433 US residents.
Is Galileo a common name?
We classify Galileo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 505 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Galileo most popular?
The single biggest year for Galileo was 2022, when 44 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Galileo is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Galileo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Galileo in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.