Given name & surname
Hugo
“a great thinker”·“having a bright mind”
In Latin use, Hugo has an alternative spelling in Ugo. One Italian interpretation is “a great thinker.” Hugo is a variant of Hugh. One German interpretation is “having a bright mind.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Latin use, Hugo has an alternative spelling in Ugo. One Italian interpretation is “a great thinker.” Hugo is a variant of Hugh. One German interpretation is “having a bright mind.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Hugo is a variant of Hugh. An origin associated with Hugh is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Finnish usage, Hugo is a short form of Hugubert.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Hugo is a variant of Hugh. The history of Hugh gives this family its wider story. Hugh’s historical bearers include members of the aristocracy. In French use, Hugo has a related form in Hugues. The history of Hugues gives this family its wider story. Hugues has a history of use among French royal or aristocratic families.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Hugo through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 37,518
- 37,482 boys · 36 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 837 babies
- 2025
- 837
- #378 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 837 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 378 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 10.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (136). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 59,062 as a first name in 2020; 2,854 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hugo’s family of names
In Polish usage, Hugo has a diminutive in Hugonek. In Finnish usage, Hugo shares a linguistic root with the English form Hugh. In Latin usage, Hugo has an alternative spelling in Ugo.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Hugo has relatives in 24 languages.
40 related names in 24 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 25
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Hugo
- Hugo ChávezVenezuelan politician, 56th president of Venezuela (1954–2013)
- Alvar AaltoFinnish architect and designer (1898–1976)
- Hugo GrotiusDutch jurist and scholar (1583-1645)
- Hugo LlorisFrench footballer (born 1986)
- Hugo von HofmannsthalAustrian novelist, librettist, poet, dramatist (1874–1929)
- Hugo WeavingEnglish actor (born 1960)
- Hugo de VriesDutch botanist (1848-1935)
- Hugo Theorellbiochemist (1903-1982)
- Hugo SánchezMexican footballer and managerborn 1958
Characters named Hugo: Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (the American mystery fiction television series Lost), Hugo Strange (fictional comic book supervillain), Hugo Drax (fictional James Bond villain), Hugo (fictional video game character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hugo, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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