Nilo

Nilo is an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese given name and surname, directly derived from the name of the Nile River. As a given name, it is a form of the Greek Neilos, which refers both to the river and to the Greek god of the Nile.

Etymology and origins

The name ultimately traces back to the Greek Neilos, which itself may be of Semitic origin meaning 'river'. In Greek mythology, Neilos was the god of the Nile, son of Okeanos and Tethys. The name was also borne by early Christian saints: a 5th-century saint living in the Sinai Peninsula, and a 10th-century Byzantine saint, often called Nilus in English, who founded the monastery at Grottaferrata near Rome.

Usage and distribution

As a name used in Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish-speaking regions, Nilo is often given in honor of the River Nile or the saint. Variants include the Ukrainian Nil and the Latin form Nilus.

Notable bearers

Several notable individuals have borne the given name Nilo:

• Nilo Peçanha, a Brazilian politician who served as president of Brazil (1909–1910)
• Nilo Cruz, a Cuban-American playwright and pedagogue
• Nilo Alcala, a Filipino composer and arranger
• Nilo Acuña, a Uruguayan footballer
• Nilo Floody, a Chilean modern pentathlete
• Nilo Guimarães, a São Toméan businessman and politician

As a surname, it appears in figures such as Joy Nilo, a Filipino composer; Humberto Nilo, a director of the University of Chile school of arts; and Prisco Nilo, a Filipino meteorologist.

Key facts

• Meaning: River (Nile), god of the Nile
• Origin: Greek via Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
• Type: Given name and surname
• Usage regions: Italy, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Philippines