Romeo
Boy name · #302 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Romeo? In official American birth records, Romeo has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Romeo is currently the #302 boy name in the United States — 1,129 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #380, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,594 boys born in 2025 was named Romeo.
Babies named Romeo per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Romeo first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 1,191 babies and a rank of #283. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Romeo against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Romeo in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Romeo is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Romeo is most common
Geography matters for names, and Romeo is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Romeo is most common in NM (2.2 per 1,000), NV (1.4 per 1,000), CA (1.3 per 1,000), AZ (1.2 per 1,000), OK (1.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Romeo is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Romeo
Statistically, parents drawn to Romeo tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ronan, Rhys, Luciano, Eliseo, and Tadeo.
RonanRhysLucianoEliseoTadeoSantinoMatteoNiko
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Romeo | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,129 | #301 |
| 2024 | 1,191 | #283 |
| 2023 | 1,132 | #292 |
| 2022 | 1,045 | #323 |
| 2021 | 928 | #350 |
| 2020 | 820 | #377 |
| 2019 | 972 | #346 |
| 2018 | 981 | #341 |
| 2017 | 924 | #358 |
| 2016 | 908 | #365 |
| 2015 | 852 | #380 |
| 2014 | 972 | #341 |
| 2013 | 955 | #337 |
| 2012 | 980 | #322 |
| 2011 | 835 | #360 |
| 2010 | 850 | #357 |
| 2009 | 718 | #411 |
| 2008 | 596 | #464 |
| 2007 | 528 | #499 |
| 2006 | 436 | #572 |
| 2005 | 369 | #610 |
| 2004 | 356 | #602 |
| 2003 | 322 | #639 |
| 2002 | 388 | #566 |
| 2001 | 444 | #510 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Romeo?
In official American birth records, the name Romeo first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Romeo a popular boy name?
Romeo ranked #302 among boys in 2025 with 1,129 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #380.
When was the name Romeo most popular?
Romeo peaked in 2024, when 1,191 American boys received the name (ranked #283 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Romeo?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,594 newborn American boys was named Romeo. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.