Higinio
A given name of Spanish origin meaning "healthy" or "vigorous".
Name Census estimates that about 464 living Americans carry the first name Higinio. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Higinio today is around 51 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Higinio births was 1956 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Higinio. 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
464
~ 1 in 738,695 Americans
Peak year
1956
17 babies that year
Average age
51
years old
2013 SSA rank
#12,839
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Higinio: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Higinio from the 1910s through to the 2010s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 90 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Higinio 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 Higinio during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Higinios live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Higinio, while New York, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 65 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Higinio
The given name Higinio has its origins in ancient Roman culture, deriving from the Latin word "hygieia," which means "health" or "wholeness." This name was likely associated with the Greek goddess of health and hygiene, Hygieia, who was widely venerated in the Roman world.
In the early days of Christianity, Higinio was adopted as a masculine name, possibly as a nod to the virtue of spiritual well-being or as a tribute to the Roman god of fire and forge, Vulcan, who shared the same root word "hygieia" in his epithet "Mulcibur."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Higinio can be traced back to the 2nd century AD, when a Roman figure named Higinio was appointed as the first official archivist and curator of the Palatine Library in Rome by Emperor Augustus.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Higinio gained popularity among Christian communities, particularly in Spain and Italy. Several notable figures bore this name, including Saint Higinio, who served as the ninth Bishop of Rome (Pope) from around 138 to 142 AD.
In the 15th century, a Spanish scholar and poet named Higinio Polo (1432-1485) gained recognition for his works, which included translations of classical Greek and Latin texts.
During the Renaissance, the Italian humanist and historian Higinio Acciaiuoli (1476-1537) made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman history and culture.
Another prominent individual named Higinio was the Spanish Jesuit missionary and explorer Higinio Burgos (1585-1635), who traveled to the Americas and documented his experiences in various writings.
In the 19th century, the Mexican politician and military leader Higinio González Munguía (1825-1862) played a crucial role in the Reform War and the struggle against French intervention in Mexico.
These are just a few examples of notable figures throughout history who bore the name Higinio, a name deeply rooted in ancient Roman culture and tradition, with a meaning associated with health, well-being, and spiritual wholeness.
People
Higinio + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Higinio as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Higinio: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Higinio?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 464 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Higinio 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 738,695 US residents.
Is Higinio a common name?
We classify Higinio as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 690 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Higinio most popular?
The single biggest year for Higinio was 1956, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Higinio is about 51 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Higinio a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Higinio 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.