Giorgio is an Italian given name derived from the Greek name Georgios, which means "farmer" or "earth-worker". The name has its origins in ancient Greece and was later adopted by the Romans as Georgius.

The name Giorgio gained popularity in Italy during the Middle Ages. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was Giorgio da Venezia, an Italian explorer and traveler who lived in the late 13th century. He was known for his travels to the Far East and for introducing polo to Europe.

Another notable figure with the name Giorgio was Giorgio Barbarelli, better known as Giorgione, an Italian Renaissance painter who lived from around 1477 to 1510. He was a pioneer of the Venetian school of Italian Renaissance painting and is famous for his innovative use of light and color.

In the 16th century, Giorgio Vasari, an Italian painter, architect, and historian, was born in 1511 and died in 1574. He is best known for his biographies of Italian Renaissance artists, known as "The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects".

During the 17th century, Giorgio Stradano, an Italian mannerist painter and designer of tapestries, was active in Florence and Rome. He was born around 1523 and died in 1605, and is known for his detailed depictions of plants, animals, and scenes from daily life.

In the 19th century, Giorgio Raimondo Santi, better known as Giorgio Basta, was an Italian mercenary and military leader who fought for the Holy Roman Empire. He was born in 1550 and died in 1614, and is remembered for his campaigns against the Ottoman Turks and for suppressing the Transylvanian uprising led by Stephen Bocskay.