The baby name Dante comes to us from Italy, and it means “enduring.” Its most famous wearer is the poet Dante Alighieri, who wrote The Divine Comedy.
Dante has been popular as a celebrity baby name, with parts like New Kids on the Block’s Jordan Knight, actor Christopher Meloni, and rapper Funkmaster Flex choosing it for their sons. In pop culture, you’ll find Dante as the companion dog in Coco, in the movie Clerks, and as a popular character on the soap opera General Hospital. And there was the 1997 movie Dante’s Peak, in which a dormant volcano wakes up and destroys the fictional town of Dante’s Peak—with Pierce Brosnan as a volcanologist sent to monitor the volcanic activity.
Interestingly, there aren’t a lot of baby names that mean “enduring” beyond Dante—just Durant and Memphis. Names with similar meanings—like steadfast—include Abelard, Constance, and Constantine. But if you like that Dante vibe but don’t like the name, consider other cool Italian names like Carlo, Fiero, Gianni, Luca, Matteo, Rocco, and Silvio. For girls, names like Dante could include Sophia, Maria, Bianca, Bella, Chiara, and Adriana.
Dante has been in the top 1000 baby names in the U.S. since the turn of the 20th century. It began its big climb in popularity in the 1960s, peaking at number 200 in 1997. Dante is currently holding steady around the top 300 baby names for boys.
Dante in quotes:
“From a little spark may burst a flame.” —Dante Alighieri
“Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always.”—Dante Alighieri
Meanings
Italian Baby Names Meaning:
In Italian Baby Names the meaning of the name Dante is: Tthe Italian form of Durand, meaning enduring. Famous bearer: The poet Dante Alighieri wrote 'The Divine Comedy' with its graphic description of medieval Hell known as Dante's Inferno.
Latin Baby Names Meaning:
In Latin Baby Names the meaning of the name Dante is: Enduring.
Spanish Baby Names Meaning:
In Spanish Baby Names the meaning of the name Dante is: Enduring. The poet Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy with its graphic description of medieval Hell known as Dante's Inferno.
American Baby Names Meaning:
In American Baby Names the meaning of the name Dante is: Enduring. The poet Dante Alighieri wrote The Divine Comedy with its graphic description of medieval Hell known as Dante's Inferno.