Amadeo

Amadeo and Amedeo are both Italian forms of the Latin Amadeus – a name most associated with the classical music composing giant Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). The name Amadeus comes from the Latin meaning “love of God” or “Love God!” from the elements “amare” (to love) and “Deus” (God). This name is so rarely used it could hardly be considered familiar if it wasn’t for Mozart. In fact, Mozart was actually baptized Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, but he styled himself as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Amadeus being the loose Latin translation of the Greek Theophilus meaning “friend of God” (from the Greek components “theos” god and “philos” friend). For more information on Mozart, please see historic references on the Amadeus name page. Amadeus was also the name of nine different Counts and Dukes of Savoy (France) dating from the 11th to the 15th centuries and Amadeo I of Spain was a King of Spain who briefly reigned in the late 19th century (also from the House of Savoy). Really, though, Amadeus is a name that will forever be connected to one of the greatest and most prolific classical music composers of all time.