Save Gender Masculine Usage American (Hispanic, Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare), Spanish (Philippines), South American (Rare), Portuguese (African, Rare) Pronounced Pron. u-KEE-no(Filipino Spanish) [key·IPA] Meaning & History Transferred use of the surname Aquino. Likely in some cases it has been used as a given name in honour of the 13th-century saint Thomas Aquinas.