Fun Facts About the Name Thiago
- Gaining ground: Thiago remained in the U.S. top 100 for 3 consecutive years, from 2023 through 2025. In 2025, it gained 5 ranking positions compared with the previous year.
- More than 35 thousand babies named Thiago: U.S. records list 35,215 babies given the name Thiago from 1880 through 2025. Even 33 girls received the name Thiago - about 1 girl for every 1,066 boys.
What Does the Name Thiago Mean?
Thiago is a Portuguese masculine given name meaning 'supplanter' or 'heel-grabber,' from the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (Jacob). The biblical account links Ya'aqov to 'aqev ('heel'), because Jacob was born holding his twin brother's heel, and to the verb 'aqav ('to supplant' or 'to follow at the heel'). The precise prehistoric derivation is uncertain, and some scholars propose a different root meaning 'may God protect'; the customary meaning remains 'supplanter.' From Hebrew, the name passed into Greek as Iakobos and Latin as Iacobus, the source of both James and the Iberian forms. In Portuguese and Galician, Santiago comes from Sanctus Iacobus ('Saint James'), and the personal name Tiago is the usual Portuguese equivalent of James. Thiago is a spelling variant of Tiago. Its h is silent and has no etymological role; it does not represent Greek theta or an English th sound.
Thiago Name History & Origins
James reached the Iberian Peninsula through Latin Iacobus. In Galician-Portuguese, the apostle's name appeared as Iago, and the compound Santiago - from Sant Iago, 'Saint James' - became tied to the shrine at Santiago de Compostela. The Portuguese personal name Tiago is generally explained as a shortening or reanalysis of Santiago, though the exact route is debated; Iago also survives as a separate name. Thiago is a later spelling variant of Tiago. The added h is silent and has no etymological function. It may reflect orthographic fashion or the influence of other names written with th, but it is not a trace of Greek theta. In Portuguese, Saint James is called São Tiago, and the pilgrimage center is Santiago de Compostela.
The name is used in Portuguese-speaking countries, especially Brazil, and also appears in Spanish-speaking regions, where Thiago is a variant of Tiago or Santiago. Devotion to Saint James made Santiago and its shortened forms familiar along medieval pilgrimage routes to Compostela. The spelling Thiago belongs to the later orthographic history of the name rather than to its ancient Hebrew, Greek, or Latin stages.
How Popular is the Name Thiago?
Thiago recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Thiago entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #17,049 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #15,042 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #17,378 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #9,612 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #15,399 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #50 | 5,835 | 0.3416% |
| 2024 | #55 | 5,289 | 0.3083% |
| 2023 | #72 | 4,515 | 0.2643% |
| 2022 | #108 | 3,464 | 0.1986% |
| 2021 | #141 | 2,713 | 0.1552% |
| 2020 | #168 | 2,305 | 0.1336% |
| 2019 | #184 | 2,133 | 0.1189% |
| 2018 | #200 | 2,023 | 0.1114% |
| 2017 | #217 | 1,766 | 0.0954% |
| 2016 | #268 | 1,370 | 0.0722% |
| 2015 | #334 | 1,032 | 0.0539% |
| 2014 | #391 | 797 | 0.0415% |
| 2013 | #489 | 561 | 0.0297% |
| 2012 | #860 | 246 | 0.0130% |
| 2011 | #1,021 | 188 | 0.0099% |
| 2010 | #1,066 | 181 | 0.0094% |
| 2009 | #1,146 | 160 | 0.0081% |
| 2008 | #1,477 | 112 | 0.0055% |
| 2007 | #1,945 | 73 | 0.0035% |
| 2006 | #2,148 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 2005 | #2,561 | 44 | 0.0022% |
| 2004 | #3,146 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 2003 | #1,933 | 61 | 0.0031% |
| 2002 | #2,876 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2001 | #3,608 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #4,052 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #5,007 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,786 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #7,211 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #5,497 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #7,719 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #4,268 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #4,963 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #6,085 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #5,062 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #4,644 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #5,559 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #4,141 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,924 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #6,653 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Thiago
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How the Name Thiago Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Thiago's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Thiago's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.