The baby name Brio suggests a certain vivacity and zest. It’s a high-energy choice that fits in perfectly with current trends.

Thanks to Shannon for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

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WHAT DOES THE NAME BRIO MEAN?

Brio is a noun, and an upbeat one. The closest synonym is probably vitality. That’s a great meaning, the kind of spirit that many of us would like for a child’s name. It fits right in with choices like Asher and Felix that mean happy.

It’s even more interesting to look at the word’s origins. In Italian, brio translates to life. The musical term con brio means to play with vigor – or sometimes, more poetically, with fire.

There’s more than one possible origin for the word. Here’s my favorite – the Old Provençal briu – wild, possibly from a Gaulish word meaning strength. There’s something rather romantic about a word borrowed from southern France. Also called Occitan, Provençal was the language of twelfth century troubadours. Their lyric poetry marks a significant literary tradition in medieval Europe.

Another possible origin? The Latin ebrius – also the source of our word inebriated. Maybe it’s best to go with the Gauls. 

Brio has been much-used in the twentieth century and beyond, though not as a given name. Instead:

  • A sculptor named Jimilu Mason created Brio, a bronze statue in Alexandria, first installed in 1983. The statue is a dancer, captured mid-motion. 
  • You might have this one in your toy box. Swedish company Brio was founded in 1884, when a basket maker expanded his business to include wooden toys. The trains have been around since the 1950s. 
  • Restaurants, software companies, a cell phone, a Honda hatchback, and many more organizations and objects have all embraced the name.

SIMILAR-SOUNDING NAMES

Maybe Brio is seldom heard as a given name. But it sounds like it could. Consider:

  • Brian started out as an Irish heritage choice and became wildly popular in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. More letter B names like Bryan, Bryce, and Bryson followed. 
  • Brianna, a feminine form of Brian, followed. Brielle, originally short for Gabrielle, has trended in recent years, too. 
  • Names ending with O are popular, for our daughters and our sons. With a very similar sound, Rio now ranks in the US Top 1000 for boys.
  • Other names with similiar meanings, like the musical Allegra and Cadence, have been popular, too.
baby wearing white and light blue outfit on white background, "baby name Brio"
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Despite all of these positive qualities, the baby name Brio remains quite rare.

It debuted in the US popularity data in the year 2017, with seven births. It peaked in 2021, with twelve boys receiving the name. During the year 2023, fewer than five boys were given the baby name Brio.

Nicknames include Bree, though Brio might also be short for something longer. Briony? Brian? Nearly anything starting with a Br could have potential.

And while the numbers suggest that the baby name Brio is for boys, it could be a great baby girl name, too.

LIVELY AND JOYFUL

All of this makes Brio the perfect name for expectant parents interested in a lively, joyful choice.

It might serve as a creative means to honor a Brian, or a more daring alternative to Brielle.

The baby name Brio sounds familiar, but remains quite rare. That’s a powerful combination.

What do you think of the baby name Brio?

First published on March 4, 2014, this post was revised on March 5, 2025.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

4 Comments

  1. Thanks for writing about my submission! This one is from my short-ish list…while I too have a fairly strong association with the toy trains, this one reads to me a bit like Arlo–short, sweet, and blessedly underused.

    Reply

  2. We had those Brio train sets growing up, so to me it’s all brand-name, like naming a son Lego, though to be fair I think everyone associates Lego with Legos, whereas Brio has the benefit of obscurity as a toy in the US.

    Reply

  3. I really love it! It appeals in the same way to me as other short girl-names ending in “o” so: Leto, Juno, Io, Hero, Cleo, Kató… Thanks for introducing me to Brio!

    Reply

  4. I love this one. I’m not really sure if it skews more boy or girl really. I’m not sure how it would work in real life but wouldn’t it make a great hero name in a young adult novel?

    Reply