Mario Boy

Popularity: #403 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAH-ree-oh /ˈmɑː.ri.oʊ/

Origin: Italian; Latin

Meaning: Italian: male; Latin: manly

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Mario has its roots in the Latin name Marius, which is believed to be derived from the Roman family name Marius, possibly linked to the Latin word "mas," meaning "male" or "manly." The name Marius was borne by several notable figures in ancient Rome, including Gaius Marius, a prominent general and statesman in the 2nd century BCE who reformed the Roman army. The transition of Marius into Mario occurred as the name was adapted into various languages, particularly during the medieval period when Latin began to influence vernacular languages across Europe.

In the context of Christianity, Mario has been associated with Saint Mario, a martyr who is venerated in the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on January 19, although details about his life are sparse.

The name gained further prominence through the Italian Renaissance, a period marked by a revival of classical learning and the arts, during which many Latin names, including Mario, became popular in Italy and beyond. The name was also used in various literary works, contributing to its cultural significance.

Culturally, Mario has been embraced in various forms, often symbolizing strength and valor due to its etymological roots. The name has also been popularized through various cultural references, including the iconic video game character Mario from Nintendo, who first appeared in the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong.

This character has since become a cultural icon, further embedding the name within popular culture. The diminutive form, Mino, is sometimes used in Italian contexts, reflecting a familial or affectionate tone.

Overall, Mario's historical and cultural journey illustrates its enduring resonance across different eras and societies.

Famous people named Mario

In this section, you will find notable people named Mario. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Mario who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Mario who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Mario Andretti is a racing driver best known for winning the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, and Formula One World Championship.

Mario Batali is a chef and restaurateur best known for his Italian cuisine and television appearances on shows like Molto Mario.

Mario Lopez is an actor and television host best known for his role on Saved by the Bell and hosting Extra.

Mario Kart is a popular video game franchise best known for its racing gameplay and iconic characters.

Mario Puzo is an author best known for writing The Godfather and The Sicilian.

Fictional characters named Mario

The following list of fictional characters named Mario is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Mario is a fictional character from the video game franchise Super Mario. He is a plumber who embarks on adventures to rescue Princess Peach and save the Mushroom Kingdom.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Mario, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LuigiGiovanniAntonioMarcoFrancescoAlessandro

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Mario. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MariusMarinoMarioleMarcellusMartinoMatteoMauroMarlon

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Mario was first seen in the United States in 1897.

Mario has ranked as high as #206 nationally, which occurred in 1980, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Mario has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Mario is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Mario was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Mario.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 721 721 0
2024 810 810 0
2023 791 791 0
2022 902 902 0
2021 937 937 0
2020 999 999 0
2019 1,030 1,030 0
2018 1,022 1,022 0
2017 1,139 1,139 0
2016 1,156 1,156 0
2015 1,294 1,294 0
2014 1,368 1,368 0
2013 1,428 1,428 0
2012 1,445 1,445 0
2011 1,598 1,598 0
2010 1,708 1,708 0
2009 1,938 1,938 0
2008 2,173 2,167 6
2007 2,291 2,291 0
2006 2,300 2,295 5
2005 2,304 2,304 0
2004 2,271 2,262 9
2003 2,364 2,358 6
2002 2,271 2,265 6
2001 2,229 2,217 12
2000 2,333 2,333 0
1999 2,295 2,288 7
1998 2,267 2,261 6
1997 2,304 2,295 9
1996 2,385 2,377 8
1995 2,404 2,391 13
1994 2,482 2,466 16
1993 2,484 2,470 14
1992 2,644 2,627 17
1991 2,598 2,575 23
1990 2,847 2,823 24
1989 2,873 2,843 30
1988 2,925 2,893 32
1987 2,781 2,738 43
1986 2,512 2,476 36
1985 2,443 2,416 27
1984 2,372 2,348 24
1983 2,401 2,373 28
1982 2,687 2,660 27
1981 2,739 2,713 26
1980 2,974 2,936 38
1979 2,734 2,702 32
1978 2,263 2,230 33
1977 2,154 2,121 33
1976 2,057 2,028 29
1975 2,091 2,059 32
1974 2,091 2,062 29
1973 2,051 2,018 33
1972 1,955 1,927 28
1971 1,929 1,904 25
1970 1,924 1,898 26
1969 1,652 1,630 22
1968 1,382 1,357 25
1967 1,329 1,310 19
1966 1,304 1,290 14
1965 1,301 1,289 12
1964 1,369 1,359 10
1963 1,329 1,321 8
1962 1,325 1,312 13
1961 1,309 1,297 12
1960 1,336 1,326 10
1959 1,216 1,205 11
1958 1,198 1,190 8
1957 1,157 1,152 5
1956 1,216 1,208 8
1955 1,088 1,075 13
1954 1,081 1,073 8
1953 1,007 996 11
1952 971 971 0
1951 869 863 6
1950 746 746 0
1949 611 606 5
1948 622 622 0
1947 500 500 0
1946 390 383 7
1945 350 345 5
1944 340 340 0
1943 331 331 0
1942 303 303 0
1941 270 270 0
1940 294 294 0
1939 238 238 0
1938 297 297 0
1937 271 271 0
1936 300 294 6
1935 304 304 0
1934 314 306 8
1933 318 318 0
1932 344 344 0
1931 393 393 0
1930 455 449 6
1929 448 443 5
1928 486 477 9
1927 502 492 10
1926 525 518 7
1925 506 501 5
1924 483 483 0
1923 504 504 0
1922 451 451 0
1921 509 502 7
1920 408 408 0
1919 353 353 0
1918 351 351 0
1917 365 359 6
1916 379 379 0
1915 354 354 0
1914 289 289 0
1913 166 166 0
1912 152 152 0
1911 56 56 0
1910 47 47 0
1909 27 27 0
1908 28 28 0
1907 20 20 0
1906 15 15 0
1905 14 14 0
1904 13 13 0
1903 6 6 0
1902 10 10 0
1901 6 6 0
1900 5 5 0
1897 7 7 0

Top States for Mario (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 191
24%
CA 150
19%
FL 53
7%
AZ 38
5%
NY 29
4%
TN 25
3%
IL 24
3%
MD 21
3%
NC 19
2%
GA 18
2%
PA 18
2%
OH 16
2%
NJ 16
2%
WA 13
2%
AL 13
2%
VA 12
2%
MI 12
2%
KS 12
2%
CT 10
1%
CO 10
1%
NM 10
1%
OR 9
1%
SC 9
1%
IN 9
1%
MA 8
1%
MN 7
1%
UT 6
1%
OK 6
1%
NE 6
1%
WI 5
1%
IA 5
1%
NV 5
1%