Magnus
Magnus, meaning "great" in Latin, was used as cognomen in ancient Rome and a given name in the Middle Ages.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- German
Meaning & Origin of Magnus
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Magnus, meaning "great" in Latin, was used as cognomen in ancient Rome and a given name in the Middle Ages.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- German
- Ancient Roman
- Icelandic
The Story of Magnus
Magnus first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1890, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 354 births, good for #729 nationwide. About 37% of every Magnus on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Magnus ranks #750 for baby boys with 350 births, gradually rising (+8%). All told, over 7K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1890s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Magnus
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Magnus. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Magne
- Måns
- Mogens
Names that sound like Magnus
Phonetically similar names — useful when Magnus is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Magnets
- Magna
- Meekness
- Muchness
- Magness
- Magnes
- Mannose
- Magmas
- Manis
- Mannis
- Magne
- Menace
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Magnus
What does the name Magnus mean?
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How popular is Magnus in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Magnus most popular?
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About the name Magnus
Magnus is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Magnus's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #719. Use the chart and map above to compare Magnus's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- 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.