The surname Ottaviano is of anthroponymic origin and derives from the personal name Ottaviano, which points back to the Latin Octavianus, diffused in the Rome of the late Republican period. On this point E. De Felice, F. De Laurentiis and E. Rossoni agree, linking the name with Octavius and, ultimately, with Octavus ("eighth child"), within the Latin onomastic tradition.

Likewise, E. De Felice and F. De Laurentiis highlight its historical association with Gaius Octavius —the future emperor Augustus— after his adoption by Caesar in 45 BC, which contributed to its prestige and diffusion in the later period. Along the same lines, E. Rossoni confirms this classical origin and documents its continuity as a hereditary surname from the modern age, while E. De Felice and F. De Laurentiis further note that, in some cases, it may be linked to place names such as Ottaviano in the Neapolitan area.