New, nine, or benevolent
Nio is a rare name with multiple potential roots. In a European context, it is often a shortened form of Antonio or Salvio, while in Japanese, it can be associated with the 'Nio' (Benevolent Kings), who are the two muscular guardians of Buddhist temples. It is also occasionally used as a modern variant of the Greek 'Neo', meaning new.
Less common today
Nio isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #5,538 in 2021.
A character and guardian deity in Buddhist mythology · Buddhist scripture and art
A character from the video game Nioh · Nioh
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
