Declining since 2022, #4,539 for boys today.
Popularity of Donatello since 1990
Babies named Donatello per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 23 |
| 2000s | 21 |
| 2010s | 225 |
| 2020s | 223 |
Meaning & origin
Donatello entered U.S. records in 1990 and saw a modest rise in usage, peaking in 2022. As of 2023, the name ranks 4539th, given to about 1 in 77,640 boys. Its trajectory has been falling since 2022, after a brief surge likely tied to renewed interest in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Despite its Renaissance heavyweight namesake, the name remains rare in modern America, used most often in California. The name's sound is distinctly Italian, and it carries a creative, artistic aura without being overly common.
Donatello is an Italian diminutive of Donato, which derives from the Latin name Donatus, meaning 'given' or 'gifted' (from donare 'to give'). It is most famously associated with the Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, known as Donatello, who worked in Florence in the 15th century. The name remained in occasional use in Italy and was later adopted in the English-speaking world, likely boosted by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character introduced in the 1980s.
Where Donatello is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Donatello” around the world
Where Donatello lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Don, Donny, Tello, Dona
Sibling names for Donatello
Names that share Donatello's style, for a brother or sister.
