Horacio

Horacio is the Spanish form of Horatius, an ancient Roman family name. The ultimate meaning is uncertain: a connection with Latin hora, an hour or season, has been proposed, but it is not enough to make “timekeeper” a certain translation. The Portuguese form is usually written Horácio, with an accent that reflects its pronunciation.

The Roman poet known in English as Horace was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, giving the name an enduring literary association. A later bearer, Horacio Quiroga, is remembered for his short stories in Spanish. Those two writers connect the name with very different literary periods and places. Horacio therefore offers a recognizable classical family history while keeping the sound and spelling established in Spanish, rather than borrowing the English form Horace.