Boy nameCurrently #763 in the USRising
Hugh
HYOO//hjuː//
1 syllablePeak year: 19164 lettersStarts with H
Meaning & origin
Mind, intellect, spirit
Hugh comes from the Germanic 'hugu', meaning mind, thought, or spirit, and was a popular name among medieval European nobility. Short and dignified, it remains a steady, understated classic.
Hugh's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Hugh |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 224 |
| 1881 | 219 |
| 1882 | 239 |
| 1883 | 215 |
| 1884 | 246 |
| 1885 | 257 |
| 1886 | 227 |
| 1887 | 250 |
| 1888 | 253 |
| 1889 | 225 |
| 1890 | 219 |
| 1891 | 233 |
| 1892 | 265 |
| 1893 | 241 |
| 1894 | 269 |
| 1895 | 243 |
| 1896 | 263 |
| 1897 | 213 |
| 1898 | 250 |
| 1899 | 209 |
| 1900 | 290 |
| 1901 | 192 |
| 1902 | 217 |
| 1903 | 193 |
| 1904 | 202 |
| 1905 | 200 |
| 1906 | 195 |
| 1907 | 212 |
| 1908 | 215 |
| 1909 | 260 |
| 1910 | 279 |
| 1911 | 314 |
| 1912 | 655 |
| 1913 | 760 |
| 1914 | 972 |
| 1915 | 1,327 |
| 1916 | 1,626 |
| 1917 | 1,415 |
| 1918 | 1,505 |
| 1919 | 1,426 |
| 1920 | 1,507 |
| 1921 | 1,500 |
| 1922 | 1,457 |
| 1923 | 1,430 |
| 1924 | 1,548 |
| 1925 | 1,399 |
| 1926 | 1,409 |
| 1927 | 1,374 |
| 1928 | 1,385 |
| 1929 | 1,240 |
| 1930 | 1,353 |
| 1931 | 1,334 |
| 1932 | 1,333 |
| 1933 | 1,118 |
| 1934 | 1,196 |
| 1935 | 1,154 |
| 1936 | 1,080 |
| 1937 | 1,075 |
| 1938 | 1,130 |
| 1939 | 1,005 |
| 1940 | 1,060 |
| 1941 | 1,089 |
| 1942 | 1,260 |
| 1943 | 1,206 |
| 1944 | 1,073 |
| 1945 | 961 |
| 1946 | 1,088 |
| 1947 | 1,201 |
| 1948 | 1,039 |
| 1949 | 1,042 |
| 1950 | 964 |
| 1951 | 1,024 |
| 1952 | 977 |
| 1953 | 964 |
| 1954 | 943 |
| 1955 | 896 |
| 1956 | 958 |
| 1957 | 967 |
| 1958 | 1,036 |
| 1959 | 988 |
| 1960 | 904 |
| 1961 | 872 |
| 1962 | 814 |
| 1963 | 794 |
| 1964 | 722 |
| 1965 | 656 |
| 1966 | 566 |
| 1967 | 502 |
| 1968 | 503 |
| 1969 | 460 |
| 1970 | 486 |
| 1971 | 435 |
| 1972 | 402 |
| 1973 | 299 |
| 1974 | 294 |
| 1975 | 280 |
| 1976 | 242 |
| 1977 | 262 |
| 1978 | 241 |
| 1979 | 237 |
| 1980 | 227 |
| 1981 | 210 |
| 1982 | 230 |
| 1983 | 198 |
| 1984 | 200 |
| 1985 | 229 |
| 1986 | 191 |
| 1987 | 199 |
| 1988 | 186 |
| 1989 | 210 |
| 1990 | 193 |
| 1991 | 176 |
| 1992 | 161 |
| 1993 | 142 |
| 1994 | 168 |
| 1995 | 175 |
| 1996 | 193 |
| 1997 | 202 |
| 1998 | 203 |
| 1999 | 178 |
| 2000 | 171 |
| 2001 | 187 |
| 2002 | 191 |
| 2003 | 194 |
| 2004 | 184 |
| 2005 | 182 |
| 2006 | 184 |
| 2007 | 200 |
| 2008 | 195 |
| 2009 | 199 |
| 2010 | 206 |
| 2011 | 210 |
| 2012 | 220 |
| 2013 | 227 |
| 2014 | 255 |
| 2015 | 265 |
| 2016 | 264 |
| 2017 | 264 |
| 2018 | 281 |
| 2019 | 287 |
| 2020 | 324 |
| 2021 | 343 |
| 2022 | 312 |
| 2023 | 323 |
| 2024 | 332 |
Hugh through the decades
- Hugh peaked in 1916, when 1,626 babies were named Hugh in the US.
- The 1920s were Hugh's strongest decade, averaging 1,425 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Hugh has risen 44% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Hugh currently ranks #763 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Hughie
Variants & spellings
Hugo
Famous people named Hugh
- Hugh Jackman — actor