Nilo

Nilo is an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Neilos, the Greek name associated with the Nile. The same word names the river in those modern languages. Its ultimate ancient derivation is less certain than the geographic reference, so the clearest meaning for a modern reader is the river name itself.

Neilos and the Latinized Nilus also belong to the personal-name family, while Nil is found in other European traditions. Nilo combines that older history with a compact form that follows familiar Romance-language naming patterns. For families who want a water name, its association is with a specific river and the civilizations connected with it, rather than a general word for water. The river-name route is well established independently of any family using Nilo as a private nickname.