Latin Names for Boys

Phar-phetched.

An adolescent boy might have problems with the first syllable.

Though the Fabian or Fabio versions are more often heard today, Fabius is the Roman family name they originated from. The general Quintus Fabius Maximum was famous for his strategic delaying tactics, so this might be a good choice for a child who is born late!

Associated with both Renaissance painter Andrea del Sarto and a contemporary brand of shoes, this Italian surname name has a stylish, artistic air.

Bearded, fusty name of great old Roman lyric poet; just what the bold vanguard baby namer might be looking for.

This Late Roman name is little-used in modern times, though the feminine forms Feline and Felina are popular in Europe. While some relate it to the happy-go-lucky Felix, it actually has a cat-like meaning. St. Felinus is a legendary third-century martyr.

Cute as a nickname, slight as a first.

Balbo is more commonly seen as an Italian surname, but in the times of Milo, Otto, and Arlo, what's to stop parents from choosing this unusual name for their child. For aviation buffs comes the added interest of the term signifying the mass fly-by at the end of an airshow.

Both Tullio and Tulio are modern forms of the ancient Roman family name Tullius. Though its meaning is unknown, Tullius has an illustrious history with many noble bearers, including a sixth century king and the philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero. Tullio can be shortened to Tully, more properly an Irish surname with a tangled history of its own, while Tulio can be a substitute for Julio.

Sargent, as in Kennedy brother-in-law Shriver, is the more familiar and usable form of this name.

Roman statesman and Caesar rival whose name, like other classical choices, was occasionally used for enslaved people. The Pompeo version could rise again.

From the root that gives us "benign," Benigno is not as accessible in English-speaking cultures as such names as Bruno and Benicio. Filipino Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., went by his nickname Ninoy. 

Projects a feeling of openness and candor.

Ancient Italian martyr's name that's a rarity here and now.

With the new fashion for occupational names, we may hear more of this one.

One of the few military ranks used as a name, as in Kennedy in-law and Peace Corps creator Sargent (born Robert Sargent) Shriver. There's also a more creative, artistic association with painter John Singer Sargent.