b babynamesuggestion
Menu

Your Shortlist

0 names saved

Gustav

Quick answerGustav derives from the Old Norse name Gautstafr, combining "Gautr" (referring to the Geats, a Scandinavian tribe) and "stafr" (meaning staff or support), literally meaning "staff of the Geats." The name is primarily used in Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, particularly in Sweden, Germany, and Norway, with notable…

Swedish · Boy · 2 syllables

G
Top 5,000

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderBoy
US Rank#3,686
TrendStable
Peak year1917
Syllables2
OriginSwedish
LanguageSwedish
CultureSwedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Czech, Slovak
Letters6
Numerology9 Chaldean 5
Global rank#19

Popularity over time

Popularity index
Hover the line to see any year. 100 = most popular.

Historical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data

About the name Gustav

Gustav derives from the Old Norse name Gautstafr, combining "Gautr" (referring to the Geats, a Scandinavian tribe) and "stafr" (meaning staff or support), literally meaning "staff of the Geats." The name is primarily used in Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, particularly in Sweden, Germany, and Norway, with notable historical bearers including Swedish kings Gustav I Vasa and Gustav II Adolf.

Cross-referenced with Wikidata/Wikipedia. AI-assisted, community-reviewable. Suggest an improvement.

Etymology

Gustav derives from the Old Norse name Gautstafr, combining "Gautr" (referring to the Geats, a Scandinavian tribe) and "stafr" (meaning staff or support), literally meaning "staff of the Geats." The name is primarily used in Germanic and Scandinavian cultures, particularly in Sweden, Germany, and Norway, with notable historical bearers including Swedish kings Gustav I Vasa and Gustav II Adolf.

Gustav currently ranks #3,686 in the United States as a boy's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1917.

Variants & nicknames

Contribute to this name

Help improve this page with a meaning, origin, or correction—and get credited as a contributor.

Login to contribute

We use Google & Facebook login — no password needed.

AdvertisementAd — responsive (after data block)

Sibling name ideas

Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Czech, Slovak names that sit beautifully beside Gustav

Similar names you might like

Names starting with G

Names that sound like Gustav

Phonetic match, not just spelling
Gustavo
Unisex Italian

"Gustavo derives from the Old Norse name Gustavus, combining "gust" (staff or power) and "stafr" (staff), meaning "staff of the…"

Global rank #7 View name
Gustave
Unisex French

"Gustave derives from the Old Norse name Gustavus, combining "Gust-" (possibly from "Gautr," referring to the Goths) with "-av" (meaning…"

Global rank #156 View name
Gustaf
Boy Swedish

"The name 'Gustaf' means "staff of the Geats" or "support of the Goths," derived from the Old Norse elements *Gautr*…"

Global rank #793 View name
Gustaaf
Boy Dutch

"The name 'Gustaaf' means "staff of the Goths" or "divine support," derived from the Old Norse elements *Gautr* (Goth) and…"

Global rank #836 View name
Gustavie
Girl Old Norse

"Gustavie is a French feminine form of Gustav, derived from the Old Norse elements "Gautr" (Goth) and "stafr" (staff), meaning…"

Global rank #1,575 View name
Gustava
Girl Scandinavian

"The name 'Gustava' is the feminine form of Gustav, meaning "staff of the Geats" or "staff of the gods," derived…"

Global rank #4,904 View name
Gustavia
Girl Latin

"The name 'Gustavia' means "staff of the Goths" or "of the Goths," derived from the Old Norse elements *Gautr* (Goth)…"

Global rank #5,518 View name
Godiva
Girl Old English

"The name 'Godiva' means "God's gift" and derives from the Old English elements *god* (God) and *gifu* (gift)."

Global rank #5,688 View name
Guztavo
Boy Old Norse

"The name 'Guztavo' is a variant of 'Gustavo', derived from the Old Norse elements *gautr* (Goth) and *stafr* (staff), meaning…"

Global rank #10,021 View name
Gustabo
Boy Old Norse

"The name 'Gustabo' is a variant of 'Gustavo', derived from the Old Norse elements *Gautr* (a tribal name) and *stafr*…"

Global rank #11,283 View name
Gottapu
Unisex Telugu

"Gottapu is a Telugu surname derived from the Telugu word "gotta," meaning "cow," combined with the suffix "pu," a common…"

Unique View name
Guddibai
Unisex Kannada

"Guddibai is a Kannada name composed of "Guddi" (meaning doll or puppet) and "bai" (a feminine suffix), literally translating to…"

Unique View name
AdvertisementAd — between sections

Names trending right now

Rising names for Boys
✏

Help us make this better for every parent

Found a mistake · Know a name we’re missing · Have a different or better meaning for a name · Any question or recommendation — your insight helps families worldwide choose with confidence.

Share your feedback →
Scroll to Top
Follow & Connect