Costa
Meaning of Costa
As a masculine given name, Costa—whether embraced as a succinct diminutive of the Greek Konstantinos, imbuing an undercurrent of steadfastness, or taken directly from the Italian and Portuguese word for “coast”—evokes a sunlit horizon where tradition and simplicity converge. Pronounced KOH-stah in Italian and KOH-stuh in Portuguese, it carries a maritime resonance that conjures the Mediterranean’s rocky shorelines even as its crisp phonetics underscore an unassuming strength. Historically, Costa has surfaced intermittently in American birth records since the early twentieth century—peaking modestly in the 1970s, again in the late 1980s, and most recently with 18 occurrences (ranked 916) in 2021—yet with just 17 births and a rank of 907 in 2024, it may not rival John for ubiquity. Such statistics reveal a name that, while decidedly uncommon, maintains a steady pulse among parents drawn to its cross-cultural gravitas and understated charm. Analytical by nature yet suffused with warmth, Costa extends a subtle nod to ancestral heritage without overwhelming the modern sensibility, much like a solitary sail adrift on a vast azure sea.
Pronunciation
Italian
- Pronunced as KOH-stah (/ˈkɔsta/)
Portuguese
- Pronunced as KOH-stuh (/ˈkɔstə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
