Hugh
From the Old French aristocratic and saint's name Hughe, brought to England by Normans, from a short form of Germanic names beginning with Proto-Germanic *hugiz (“heart…
Every Hugh since 1880 — 84,179 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hugh
Hugh is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #732 in 2025 with 360 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 84,179 American babies have been named Hugh. Its peak came in 1916, when 1,626 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Hugh stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hugh year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 360 | #732 |
| 2024 | — | — | 333 | #762 |
| 2023 | — | — | 323 | #785 |
| 2022 | — | — | 312 | #804 |
| 2021 | — | — | 343 | #742 |
| 2020 | — | — | 324 | #749 |
| 2019 | — | — | 287 | #799 |
| 2018 | — | — | 281 | #806 |
| 2017 | — | — | 264 | #838 |
| 2016 | — | — | 264 | #850 |
| 2015 | — | — | 265 | #848 |
| 2014 | — | — | 255 | #866 |
| 2013 | — | — | 227 | #915 |
| 2012 | — | — | 220 | #930 |
| 2011 | — | — | 210 | #946 |
| 2010 | — | — | 206 | #961 |
| 2009 | — | — | 199 | #995 |
| 2008 | — | — | 195 | #1,003 |
| 2007 | — | — | 200 | #982 |
| 2006 | — | — | 184 | #1,001 |
| 2005 | — | — | 182 | #961 |
| 2004 | — | — | 184 | #923 |
| 2003 | — | — | 194 | #880 |
| 2002 | — | — | 191 | #867 |
| 2001 | — | — | 187 | #858 |
| 2000 | — | — | 171 | #909 |
| 1995 | — | — | 175 | #807 |
| 1990 | — | — | 193 | #736 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,268 | 224 | #587 |
| 1980 | — | — | 227 | #574 |
| 1975 | — | — | 280 | #478 |
| 1970 | — | — | 486 | #368 |
| 1965 | — | — | 656 | #293 |
| 1960 | — | — | 903 | #266 |
| 1955 | — | — | 896 | #236 |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,607 | 959 | #206 |
| 1945 | — | — | 961 | #171 |
| 1940 | — | — | 1,060 | #157 |
| 1935 | 12 | #2,486 | 1,142 | #139 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,759 | 1,343 | #131 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,683 | 1,386 | #127 |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,115 | 1,489 | #115 |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,992 | 1,318 | #111 |
| 1910 | — | — | 279 | #112 |
| 1905 | — | — | 200 | #107 |
| 1900 | — | — | 290 | #88 |
| 1895 | — | — | 243 | #80 |
| 1890 | — | — | 219 | #80 |
| 1885 | — | — | 257 | #73 |
| 1880 | — | — | 224 | #71 |
Famous people named Hugh
- Hugh Capet Politician · 940–996
- Hugh Hefner Businessperson · 1926–2017
- Hugh Grant Actor · b. 1960
- Hugh of Saint Victor Philosopher · 1096–1141
- Hugh the Great Nobleman · 898–956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hugh mean?
From the Old French aristocratic and saint's name Hughe, brought to England by Normans, from a short form of Germanic names beginning with Proto-Germanic *hugiz (“heart, mind”), such as Hubert.
How popular is the name Hugh in 2025?
Hugh ranked #732 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 360 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Hugh?
84,179 babies have been named Hugh in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hugh most popular?
Hugh peaked in 1916, when 1,626 newborns received the name.
Is Hugh a boy or girl name?
Hugh is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Hugh rising or falling?
Hugh is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Hugh?
Well-known people named Hugh include Hugh Capet (politician), Hugh Hefner (businessperson), Hugh Grant (actor).