Boy name · Latin
Gus
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: great, venerableGus is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "great, venerable". It is used in English and German.
- Meaning
- Great, venerable
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #1331 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Gus
As a boy's name, Gus comes from Latin and means "great, venerable". It is used in English and German.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Gus on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Gus on 10 lists.
“Short for Augustus, Angus or Gustav”
From Nicknames that start with G, nicknames for names that start with G
“Easygoing and lovable, like Gus McCrae of Lonesome Dove”
From Redneck names for boys, cowboy names for boys
“Short for Augustus or Angus; friendly and fuss-free”
From Boy cat names, classic boy cat names
“Sturdy, cheerful and perfect for a stocky pup”
From Boy dog names, popular boy dog names
“Short, friendly and very good at pulling sleds”
From Reindeer names, boy reindeer names
“Short for Augustus, great, venerable; Gus McCrae of Lonesome Dove”
From Cowboy names, western boy names
“Exalted, venerable; Latin, a cuddly short form of Augustus (or Angus)”
From Cute boy names, short and cute boy names
“Short, sturdy and No. 5 for AKC boys in 2025”
From Cute dog names, cute boy dog names
“Short for Goose, sort of”
From Porch goose names, boy porch goose names
“A friendly little name for a giant”
From Tyranitar nicknames, boy Tyranitar nicknames
How popular is Gus?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,331
- 145 babies, 85 per million boys
- Best rank
- #121 in 1882
- Most babies: 327 in 1921
- Babies since 1880
- At least 20,119
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 939 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 776 per million |
| 1900s | 635 per million |
| 1910s | 343 per million |
| 1920s | 267 per million |
| 1930s | 188 per million |
| 1940s | 109 per million |
| 1950s | 86 per million |
| 1960s | 74 per million |
| 1970s | 53 per million |
| 1980s | 27 per million |
| 1990s | 23 per million |
| 2000s | 44 per million |
| 2010s | 86 per million |
| 2020s | 98 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,001 | #1,082 | #999 | #1,052 | #1,176 | #1,181 | #1,098 | #1,171 | #1,213 | #1,331 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Gus
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Gus
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- GulFlower, rose (Persian, unisex)
- GurCub, young lion (Hebrew, boy)
- GuyValley, ravine (Hebrew, boy)
- GadFortune, luck (Hebrew, boy)
- GalWave (Hebrew, unisex)
- GijsBright pledge (Germanic, boy)
- GyuA star linked to literature (depends on hanja) (Korean, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
- SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
- AugustaGreat, venerable (Latin, girl)
- IrmaWhole, great (Germanic, girl)
- AugustinVenerable, great (Latin, boy)
- AugustoExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
- ImeldaGreat battle (Germanic, girl)
- KabirGreat (Arabic, boy)
- MoragGreat one (Scottish Gaelic, girl)
Middle names for Gus
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AltonTown at a river's source (Old English, boy)
- CarltonSettlement of free peasants (Old English, boy)
- CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
- DennisOf Dionysus (Greek, boy)
- DrakeDragon (Old English, boy)
- LangstonLong stone (Old English, boy)
- LaurenceFrom Laurentum, a Roman town (Latin, boy)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
More boy names from Latin
Gus: common questions
What does the name Gus mean?
Gus comes from Latin and means "great, venerable".
Is Gus a boy or girl name?
Gus is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Gus come from?
Gus comes from Latin and means "great, venerable". Today it is used in English and German.
How popular is the name Gus?
Gus ranked #1,331 in the US in 2025, with 145 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Gus?
Forms of Gus with the same meaning and origin include August (English), Augustus (English) and Austin (English).
What middle names go with Gus?
Middle names that flow well with Gus include Alton, Carlton, Cedar, Dennis and Drake. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.