• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: “from Galilee.”

Both names are derive from the Latin galilaeus, meaning “from Galilee,” which ultimately derives from the Hebrew, גָּלִיל, meaning “district; circle; hill; knoll.” The name was used in honor of the place name in the New Testament.

Galileo was borne by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), he in turn was named for an ancestor.

As of 2022, its feminine counterpart of Galilea appears in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Female names, coming in at #731.

Male forms include:

• Galilieu (Catalan)
• Galilé, Galilie (French)
• Galíleó (Icelandic)
• Galileo (Italian, Spanish)
• Galilaeus (Latin)
• Galileusz (Polish)

Female forms include:

• Galilée, Galilie (French)
• Galilice (French, archaic)
• Galilea (Italian, Spanish)

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/galileo
• https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_(nome)