Horace is a name of Latin origin and means "timekeeper" or "hour". It was popular among the ancient Romans, who often used it as a family name, or nomen. The most famous Horace in history is Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman poet from the first century BC, known simply as Horace.
The name Horace has been used throughout history by notable individuals. In addition to the poet Horace, there was also a Roman emperor named Horace, who ruled briefly in AD 238 during the Crisis of the Third Century. The name has also been used by several saints and martyrs in Christian history.
In more recent times, Horace has been used as a given name, but it is not very common. It is sometimes used as a middle name or as part of compound names like Horatio, which means "hourly" in Latin.
Overall, the name Horace is an unusual choice for a baby name today, but it does have historical significance and a unique meaning related to timekeeping.
The name Horace saw a significant rise in popularity between 1895 and 1915, with a peak of 1,276 births in 1920. However, it has been in steady decline since the early 1930s, with only 17 births recorded in 2021. The name reached its lowest point in recent years with just 18 births each in 2020 and 2023.