Rising since 1997, #1,315 for boys today.
Popularity of Danilo since 1946
Babies named Danilo per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 16 |
| 1950s | 81 |
| 1960s | 149 |
| 1970s | 281 |
| 1980s | 432 |
| 1990s | 485 |
| 2000s | 713 |
| 2010s | 1,390 |
| 2020s | 1,127 |
Meaning & origin
Danilo is the diminutive form of Daniel in several Romance and Slavic languages, carrying the biblical meaning 'God is my judge.' While it has been used in Europe for generations, its U.S. presence has been modest but steadily growing. First recorded in 1946, the name saw little activity for decades but began a noticeable rise in 1997, climbing to its peak rank of 1,315 in 2023. In the current decade, it is given to roughly 1 in 11,620 baby boys, with the highest relative usage in Oregon, Colorado, and California. Danilo offers a melodic alternative to Daniel that feels both international and accessible, fitting well with other Italian-derived names in modern American naming.
Danilo is a diminutive of Daniele (Italian), Daniel (Spanish, Portuguese), or Danijel (Serbo-Croatian, Slovene), all ultimately from the Hebrew name Daniyyel, meaning 'God is my judge.' The name has been common in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the Balkans for centuries, often used as a given name in its own right rather than strictly a nickname.
Where Danilo is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Danilo” around the world
Where Danilo lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Dani, Nilo
Sibling names for Danilo
Names that share Danilo's style, for a brother or sister.
