Alvaro is a Spanish name of Visigothic origin; its Germanic elements are uncertain and usually explained as ala and wars, meaning "guardian of all" or "all-guard". It was a knightly name in medieval Castile, and in Spanish it is written Álvaro with an accent on the first syllable. In the United States Alvaro is chosen mostly by Hispanic families; it ranked number 513 in 2000, its peak, and stands at number 777 in 2025.