Gustav
Gustav, also spelled Gustaf, is a male given name of Old Swedish origin, used mainly in Scandinavian countries, German-speaking countries, and the Low Countries. The origin of the name is debated. The name was first recorded in 1225 in Västergötland, Sweden, in the Latin form Gostauus. Other 13th-century variants include Gødstaui, Gøstaf and Gøzstaf.
Meaning & Origin of Gustav
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gustav, also spelled Gustaf, is a male given name of Old Swedish origin, used mainly in Scandinavian countries, German-speaking countries, and the Low Countries. The origin of the name is debated. The name was first recorded in 1225 in Västergötland, Sweden, in the Latin form Gostauus. Other 13th-century variants include Gødstaui, Gøstaf and Gøzstaf.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gustav
Gustav first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 33 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 99 Gustavs were born — ranking #597 that year. As of 2026, Gustav ranks #3,491 for baby boys with 33 births, gradually falling (-10%). In total, more than 4K Gustavs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Gustav
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gustav is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gustav
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About the name Gustav
Gustav is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Gustav's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #240. Use the chart and map above to compare Gustav's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.