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Diego

little child lying on a children's rug in the white-blue cap. Small Depth of Field (DOF)

Diego

Updated: by Olivia Mittak

Diego has a complicated background. Some individuals accept it as a nickname for Santiago, while others believe it is the Spanish form of the Latin Didacus. In either case, Diego has a strong connotation and is a top 500 name for a boy of any culture.

Meaning and Origin of the Name Diego:

The origins of Diego as a name are uncertain. Diego could have began as the shortened version of the name Santiago. Santiago is the Spanish version of the English James. Other medieval stories say that Diego comes from the Latin Didacus, which comes from the Greek “didache” which means “teaching”. Another meaning of Diego is “supplanter”. Regardless of the name's origin, it has been a popular Spanish name for many years.

Symbolism of the Name Diego:

The baby name Diego has a complicated meaning. It could mean “supplanter” if it is the same as the baby name James, which comes from Diego being a nickname for Santiago. Still, others state that it is the same as the Latin name Didacus, as seen in Saint Diego or Didacus of Alcala, Spain during the 1400s. If this is the case, Diego is more strongly associated with teaching.

Nicknames for the Name Diego:

Diego is a cool name, so it has to have a cool nickname to go along with it! We've got an extensive list of awesome nicknames for Diego, so you'll have no shortage of options. Try each one on for size and see which one ends up sticking!

  • Di
  • Ego
  • Didi
  • Yeyo
  • Dego
  • Dee
  • Aygo
  • Go
  • Diggy
  • Dago
  • Lego
  • Ergo
  • DG
  • Diogo

Style of the Name Diego:

Traditional

Gender of the Name Diego:

The baby name Diego is a name for boys.

Pronunciation of the Name Diego:

d-YEH-gho

Number of Syllables in the Name Diego:

Three

Emotion Evoked from the Name Diego:

Diego is a strong and attractive baby name. It is simple but carries with it a certain flair that is wholesome.

Alternative Spellings for the Name Diego:

  • Dyego
  • Diyego

Popularity of the Name Diego:

The baby name Diego became popular in America in the mid to late twentieth century. It was a top 100 name for boys from 2002 to 2011. In the year 2023, Diego was at rank 216 for boys.

Great Middle Names for Diego and Their Meanings:

  • Oscar (friend of deer)
  • Max (greatest)
  • Omar (flourishing, long-lived)
  • Lawrence (bright one, shining one, man from Laurentum)
  • Ramon (mighty protection, counsel)
  • Lorenzo (man from Laurentum)
  • Joaquin (lifted by Yahweh)

Famous People with the Name Diego:

  • Diego Rodriguez (painter from Spain)
  • Diego Klattenhoff (actor, “The Blacklist”)
  • Diego Maradona (Argentinian soccer player)
  • Diego Tinoco (actor, “On My Block”)
  • Diego Costa (professional soccer player)
  • Diego Boneta (actor, “Mean Girls 2”)
  • Diego Martin (actor, “Elite”)
  • Diego Luna (actor, “Narcos: Mexico”)
  • Diego (main character from “Go, Diego, Go!”)
  • Diego de la Vega (Zorro from “Zorro”)
  • Diego (character from “Ice Age”)
  • Diego (character from “Sky”)
  • Diego Caplan (character from “Harry Potter”)
  • Diego Armando (Godot from “Ace Attorney” video game)

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Pshenina_m/Shutterstock.com.

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