Romano
Of Italian origin, meaning "from Rome" or "Roman".
Name Census estimates that about 269 living Americans carry the first name Romano. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Romano today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Romano births was 1971 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Romano. 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
269
~ 1 in 1,274,180 Americans
Peak year
1971
13 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2022 SSA rank
#12,030
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Romano: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Romano from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 64 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Romano 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 Romano during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Romanos live
Origin
Meaning and history of Romano
The name Romano has its origins in the Latin language, deriving from the word "Romanus" which means "Roman." This name emerged during the time of the Roman Empire, when Latin was the dominant language spoken across a vast territory spanning Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western Asia.
The name Romano was initially associated with individuals who were born or lived within the boundaries of the Roman Empire. It was a way to identify someone as being a citizen or a native of Rome, the capital city of the empire. The name carried a sense of pride and connection to the rich culture and heritage of ancient Rome.
In the early centuries of the Roman Empire, the name Romano appeared in various historical records and writings. It was not uncommon for Roman citizens to bear this name, particularly those from influential families or those who held positions of power and authority within the empire.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Romano can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus, who mentioned a Roman senator named Quintus Pompeius Romano in the 1st century AD. Another notable figure was Romano il Vecchio, an Italian painter and architect who lived in the 13th century and was known for his work in the Romanesque style.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, the name Romano continued to be used across various regions of Europe, particularly in Italy, where it maintained a strong cultural connection to the legacy of the Roman Empire.
Some notable historical figures who bore the name Romano include:
1. Romano Archivolto (c. 1190-1264), an Italian sculptor and architect known for his work on the Cathedral of Ferrara.
2. Romano Bonaventura (c. 1455-1543), an Italian painter and architect active in Venice during the Renaissance.
3. Romano Guardini (1885-1968), a German Catholic priest, theologian, and philosopher who influenced the Second Vatican Council.
4. Romano Prodi (born 1939), an Italian politician and economist who served as Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European Commission.
5. Romano Mussolini (1927-2006), the fourth son of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who pursued a career in jazz music and painting.
The name Romano has endured through the centuries, carrying with it the rich historical and cultural associations with the Roman Empire and the Latin language. Its usage has transcended geographical boundaries, making it a recognizable and respected name across various regions and cultures influenced by the Roman legacy.
People
Romano + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Romano as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Romano: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Romano?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 269 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Romano 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 1,274,180 US residents.
Is Romano a common name?
We classify Romano as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 322 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Romano most popular?
The single biggest year for Romano was 1971, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Romano is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Romano a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Romano 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.