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Home › Baby Names Directory › Placido

Placido

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Placido

Pronounced PLAH-see-doh /ˈplɑː.si.doʊ/Medium

Meaning: Placido, in Spanish written Plácido, means 'calm' or 'serene,' from the Latin placidus, 'gentle, quiet.' It honors Saint Placidus, a sixth-century disciple of Saint Benedict, and was a devotional name in Hispanic and Italian Catholic families.Medium

In 30 seconds: Placido is Spanish and Italian for 'calm' or 'serene,' from Latin placidus. A devotional saint's name, always rare (said PLAH-see-doh).
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Origin MediumSpanish, Latin
MeaningPlacido, in Spanish written Plácido, means 'calm' or 'serene,' from the Latin placidus, 'gentle, quiet.' It honors Saint Placidus, a sixth-century disciple of Saint Benedict, and was a devotional name in Hispanic and Italian Catholic families.
U.S. rank (2021)#13587 ↗ Rising
2021 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1923
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,111

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197519072021

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

Placido, Spanish Plácido, comes from the Latin placidus, 'calm' or 'gentle,' and honors Saint Placidus, an early follower of Saint Benedict. It reached the United States with Hispanic and Italian Catholic families, appearing in records from around 1907. It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its early-1920s high.

A man named Placido from that era would be a great-grandfather today. The name endures in Spanish- and Italian-speaking families and is widely recognized through the tenor Placido Domingo, though it has stayed rare as an American birth name rather than reviving broadly.

Did you know? Placido wears its meaning plainly: it is the Latin placidus, 'calm,' the same root behind the English word placid, making it one of the most serene names on any list.
Overall data confidence 60%
References - Placido — Spanish/Italian 'calm'; Latin placidus; St Placidus

Variations

PlacidusPlacidePlacida

Nicknames

PlaciCido

Famous Bearers

  • ★Placido Domingo (b. 1941)
    Spanish operatic tenor and conductor, one of the best-known bearers of the name

If you like Placido…

Aurelio— a like Hispanic boys' name of the era
Emilio— a same-tradition Latin-rooted name
Celestino— another devotional Spanish saint name
Amado— a similarly popular pick
Rolando— shares Placido's Spanish roots

Explore names like Placido

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Placido mean?

It is Spanish and Italian for 'calm' or 'serene,' from the Latin placidus, the root of the English word placid.

How do you pronounce Placido?

It's said PLAH-see-doh /ˈplɑː.si.doʊ/, three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Placido a boy or girl name?

Placido is used as a boy's name; the feminine form is Placida.

How popular is Placido?

It has always been rare in the United States, a devotional Hispanic and Italian name given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak.

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