How to say it
DA · ri · o
ˈdɑː.ri.oʊ
Masculine
Dario
Possessing goodness
What it means
The Italian and Spanish form of Darius, from Old Persian Dārayavahush, 'possessing goodness.'
Dario is the Italian and Spanish form of Darius, which comes through Greek Dareios from the Old Persian Dārayavahush, built from daraya, 'to hold or possess,' and vahu, 'good.' The name is usually glossed as 'possessing goodness' or 'holds firm to good,' sometimes loosely as 'wealthy.' It was borne by several Achaemenid Persian kings, most famously Darius the Great, who ruled from 522 to 486 BCE. The Dario form has stayed in steady use across Italy and the Spanish-speaking world. It eased to rank 760 in 2025, down from 639.
How to spell Dario
The standard spelling is Dario. Common variants include Darius, Dariusz, Dareios, but Dario is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #639 in 2024, currently #760 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
DAH-ree-oh, three syllables, stress on the first.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Dario Argento Italian film director
Spelling variants
- Darius
- Dariusz
- Dareios
Names with the same feeling
See Dario from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Dario mean?
- The Italian and Spanish form of Darius, from Old Persian Dārayavahush, 'possessing goodness.'
- What does Dario mean in Italian?
- In Italian, Dario means "Possessing goodness." Dario is the Italian and Spanish form of Darius, which comes through Greek Dareios from the Old Persian Dārayavahush, built from daraya, 'to hold or possess,' and vahu, 'good.' The name is usually glossed as 'possessing goodness' or 'holds firm to good,' sometimes loosely as 'wealthy.' It was borne by several Achaemenid Persian kings, most famously Darius the Great, who ruled from 522 to 486 BCE. The Dario form has stayed in steady use across Italy and the Spanish-speaking world. It eased to rank 760 in 2025, down from 639.
- How do you pronounce Dario?
- Dario is pronounced ˈdɑː.ri.oʊ. Say it as DA-ri-o, with the stress on the "da" syllable.
- How do you spell Dario?
- The standard spelling is Dario. Common spelling variants include Darius, Dariusz, Dareios.
- Is Dario a boy or girl name?
- Dario is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Dario?
- Dario ranked #760 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.