Meaning, origin and history of the name Galileo

Meaning & History

Medieval Italian name derived from Latin galilaeus meaning "Galilean, from Galilee". Galilee is a region in northern Israel, mentioned in the New Testament as the site of several of Jesus's miracles. It is derived from the Hebrew root גָּלִיל (galil) meaning "district, roll".

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an important Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer. Both his name and surname were from an earlier 15th-century ancestor (a doctor).

Related Names

Surname DescendantGalilei(Italian)

Categories

astronomers, astronomy, nationalities, play titles, rare Italian, scientists