Cheo

Meaning & origin

Cheo is a rare given name that first entered U.S. Social Security records in 1972, reflecting a pattern of Hispanic names gaining visibility in the latter half of the 20th century. Its peak usage occurred in 1974, after which its frequency has remained consistently low, fitting a stable trajectory with no significant revival in later decades. The name has not been recorded in enough births to calculate a rank or a 1-in-N statistic, underscoring its rarity. While top state data is unavailable due to low counts, the name likely appears most often in states with sizable Puerto Rican and Latino populations. Cheo is widely understood as a diminutive of José, akin to the more familiar nickname Che, and carries the cultural resonance of Latin American naming traditions.

Cheo is likely a short form or nickname derived from José, the Spanish form of Joseph, ultimately from Hebrew Yosef meaning 'He will add.' It may also be related to Che, an Argentine nickname for José, popularized by revolutionary Che Guevara. The name has been used as an independent given name in Puerto Rico and other Latin American communities since the 1970s.