Diego
dee-AY-go /diˈeɪ.ɡoʊ/
Meaning of Diego
Diego is the Spanish form of James via the Late Latin Didacus — itself a Latinisation of the Old Spanish Diag, a short form of Santiago. Through Santiago → Iago → Diag → Didacus → Diego, the name ultimately traces to the Hebrew Ya'akov ('supplanter'). Diego and James are therefore etymological cousins. The name is firmly embedded in Mexican and Latin American culture through artist Diego Rivera.
How to pronounce Diego
In Spanish: die-GO (stress on second syllable, two syllables not three).
Current popularity of Diego
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #87 |
| Mexico (INEGI) | 2024 | #4 |
| Spain (INE) | 2024 | #8 |
Notable bearers of Diego
Diego Rivera (Mexican muralist, 1886–1957); Diego Velázquez (Spanish painter, 1599–1660); Go, Diego, Go! (children's TV).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Diego — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
- https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
- https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31