Boy name · Germanic
Hugo
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: heart, mindHugo is a boy's name that comes from Germanic and means "heart, mind". It is used in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch and more.
- Meaning
- Heart, mind
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #378 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Hugo
As a boy's name, Hugo comes from Germanic and means "heart, mind". It is used in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and Scandinavian.
In French, say ew-GOH. In Spanish, say OO-goh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Hugo on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Hugo on 9 lists.
“Short, sporty and always invited for the weekend”
From British funny names, posh British names
“Old German for mind or spirit; short and strong”
From Bunny names, boy bunny names
“Heart, mind; Germanic, a favorite across Europe”
From Cute boy names, short and cute boy names
“Short, round and very huggable”
From Cute dog names, cute boy dog names
“Mind, spirit; Germanic. Say ew-GOH”
From French boy names, popular French boys' names right now
“A big, bold name for a big spider”
From Spider names, good spider names
“Bold and classic, a name with presence”
From Taco Bell chihuahua name, boy chihuahua names
“Heart, mind; Germanic. A classic that never really aged”
From Old man names, grandpa names coming back for babies
“Heart, mind; Germanic. No. 2 in Spain in 2024 (INE). Say OO-goh”
From Spanish boy names, popular Spanish boy names in Spain (INE 2024)
How popular is Hugo?
- US rank in 2025
- #378
- 837 babies, 490 per million boys
- Best rank
- #263 in 1881
- Most babies: 837 in 2025
- Babies since 1880
- At least 37,482
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 253 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 273 per million |
| 1900s | 185 per million |
| 1910s | 212 per million |
| 1920s | 140 per million |
| 1930s | 77 per million |
| 1940s | 36 per million |
| 1950s | 39 per million |
| 1960s | 62 per million |
| 1970s | 138 per million |
| 1980s | 202 per million |
| 1990s | 288 per million |
| 2000s | 367 per million |
| 2010s | 361 per million |
| 2020s | 447 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #430 | #416 | #422 | #462 | #421 | #437 | #400 | #415 | #404 | #378 |
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 Hugo
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- HughHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
- HuwHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
- UgoHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
Names spelled like Hugo
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- HaoVast, grand (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
- HuaFlower; magnificent (depends on characters) (Chinese, unisex)
- HunMerit, achievement (depends on hanja) (Korean, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- HubertBright heart (Germanic, boy)
- DilaraAdorner of the heart; beloved (Persian, girl)
- ArsinoeRaising of the mind (Greek, girl)
- BahmanGood mind (Persian, boy)
- CordulaLittle heart (Latin, girl)
- CroíaHeart (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- DelaraAdorning the heart (Persian, girl)
- DelshadHappy heart, cheerful (Persian, unisex)
- DilayHeart moon (Turkish, girl)
- FouadHeart (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Hugo
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Germanic
- LiamShort for William, will helmet (Germanic, boy)
- RobertBright fame (Germanic, boy)
- LambertBright land (Germanic, boy)
- LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- AlaricRuler of all (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertoNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- ArmandoArmy man (Germanic, boy)
- ArnoEagle (Germanic, boy)
- ArnoldEagle power (Germanic, boy)
Hugo: common questions
What does the name Hugo mean?
Hugo comes from Germanic and means "heart, mind".
Is Hugo a boy or girl name?
Hugo is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Hugo come from?
Hugo comes from Germanic and means "heart, mind". Today it is used in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.
How popular is the name Hugo?
Hugo ranked #378 in the US in 2025, with 837 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Hugo?
Forms of Hugo with the same meaning and origin include Hugh (English), Huw (Welsh) and Ugo (Italian).
What middle names go with Hugo?
Middle names that flow well with Hugo include Alexander, Archer, Atticus, Constantine and Forest. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.