
The short answer
Romeo is a masculine name used in Italian and Romanian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant ‘from Rome’ or ‘Roman’. Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596)." It ranked #302 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant ‘from Rome’ or ‘Roman’. Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596). The entry lists its usage as Italian, Romanian.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Romeo ranked #302 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #302 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Italian) and that sit near Romeo in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Romeo mean?
Romeo means "from Rome", according to Behind the Name.
Is Romeo a popular name?
Romeo ranked #302 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Romeo a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Romeo appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Romeo — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.