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Home › Baby Names Directory › Heitor

Heitor

♂ Boy

Pronounced HAYT-ohr /ˈheɪt.oʊr/Medium

Meaning: Holding fast (from Hector).Medium

In 30 seconds: Heitor is the Portuguese form of Hector, a name meaning 'holding fast'.
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Origin MediumPortuguese
MeaningHolding fast (from Hector).
U.S. rank (2025)#2618 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births50 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 377

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202320062025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Heitor is how Portuguese speakers render Hector, and the inherited meaning is 'holding fast'. Hector is the heroic Trojan of Greek legend, so the name carries that steadfast sense. The Portuguese spelling gives the old name a softer shape.

Related forms include the Italian Ettore and the Greek Hektor, all rooted in the same hero's name. The short nickname Heck sits behind several of them.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Heitor is 'holding fast', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Heitor — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

HectorHèctorHektorEttoreHeck

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
    Brazilian composer regarded as a major figure in 20th-century art music

If you like Heitor…

Hector— the standard form Heitor adapts for Portuguese
Davi— shares Heitor's Portuguese roots
Paulo— lands in the same popularity range
Iam— a similarly popular pick
Edson— shares Heitor's Portuguese roots

Explore names like Heitor

By themeportuguese

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Heitor mean?

Heitor is usually explained as meaning 'holding fast' and is most often linked with Portuguese tradition.

How do you pronounce Heitor?

It's commonly said HAYT-ohr /ˈheɪt.oʊr/.

Is Heitor a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Heitor is used as a boy name.

How popular is Heitor?

In 2024, Heitor ranked #2567 in the U.S. for boys, with 52 births recorded.

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