boys' name ★ peaked 2021

Magnus

Meaning great Gender Boy Rank 2025 #765 Trend ↑ Rising 20%

Borrowed from Latin magnus (“great”), taken from the title of Carolus Magnus "Charlemagne" by an eleventh century king of Norway, and brought to Scotland in medieval…

Rank 2025
#765
among boys · ↓18 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
337
named Magnus · -2% vs 2024
How common
1 in 5,068
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2021
354 babies
All-time total
6,172
#1,555 all-time among boys
First recorded
1890
in Social Security records

Magnus popularity over time

6,172 babies have been named Magnus since 1890, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2021Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s 21 2 – #1,035
1900s 29 3 +38% #1,098
1910s 122 12 +321% #1,419
1920s 132 13 +8% #1,729
1930s 66 7 -50% #2,272
1940s 23 2 -65% #3,103
1950s 39 4 +70% #2,938
1960s 18 2 -54% #3,537
1970s 30 3 +67% #3,324
1980s 74 7 +147% #3,837
1990s 212 21 +186% #2,013
2000s 1,028 103 +385% #1,136
2010s 2,389 239 +132% #719
2020s (to 2025) 1,989 332 +39% #730

Where Magnus is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 346 0.20 outside top 500
2027 354 0.21 outside top 500
2028 361 0.21 outside top 500
2029 367 0.21 outside top 500
2030 372 0.22 outside top 500

Where Magnus is most popular

Boys named Magnus per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.197 per 1,000. Strongest in Utah, Idaho, and Washington.

Vs national average
well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Magnus born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State Boys 2021–2025 Per 1,000 vs national
Utah 59 0.618 +214%
Idaho 24 0.586 +198%
Washington 95 0.581 +195%
Oregon 36 0.474 +141%
Minnesota 57 0.465 +136%
Alaska 5 0.420 +113%
Colorado 51 0.395 +101%
Connecticut 21 0.310 +58%
North Dakota 5 0.293 +49%
Indiana 46 0.287 +46%
Kentucky 28 0.279 +42%
Wisconsin 33 0.279 +42%
Missouri 34 0.245 +25%
Michigan 50 0.244 +24%
California 207 0.226 +15%
Arkansas 13 0.205 ≈ national
Virginia 36 0.190 ≈ national
Ohio 50 0.189 ≈ national
Illinois 47 0.184 -7%
Tennessee 32 0.177 -10%
New York 75 0.173 -12%
Arizona 28 0.171 -13%
Florida 81 0.171 -13%
Pennsylvania 45 0.169 -14%
North Carolina 43 0.168 -14%
Iowa 11 0.160 -19%
Maryland 19 0.159 -19%
Massachusetts 21 0.153 -22%
Texas 121 0.137 -30%
Georgia 26 0.103 -48%
Nevada 5 0.088 -55%
Kansas 6 0.087 -56%
New Jersey 13 0.065 -67%
Alabama 7 0.064 -67%
Oklahoma 5 0.057 -71%
South Carolina 5 0.048 -75%
District of Columbia – – –
Delaware – – –
Hawaii – – –
Louisiana – – –
Maine – – –
Mississippi – – –
Montana – – –
Nebraska – – –
New Hampshire – – –
New Mexico – – –
Rhode Island – – –
South Dakota – – –
Vermont – – –
West Virginia – – –
Wyoming – – –

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Magnus

Magnus is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #765 in 2025 with 337 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1890, 6,172 American babies have been named Magnus. Its peak came in 2021, when 354 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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 Magnus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Magnus?

The median living Magnus is about 8 years old; half are between 4 and 15. An estimated 5,700 people named Magnus are alive in the United States today.

median 8 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Magnus year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 337 #765
2024 343 #747
2023 338 #763
2022 327 #774
2021 354 #730
2020 290 #801
2019 299 #781
2018 295 #781
2017 335 #719
2016 296 #796
2015 263 #856
2014 215 #978
2013 209 #959
2012 162 #1,133
2011 154 #1,164
2010 161 #1,152
2009 125 #1,374
2008 161 #1,136
2007 143 #1,234
2006 126 #1,314
2005 114 #1,331
2004 70 #1,797
2003 87 #1,494
2002 76 #1,601
2001 79 #1,537
2000 47 #2,161
1995 14 #4,428
1990 13 #4,315
1985 7 #5,524
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 5 #5,169
1965 – –
1960 7 #3,537
1955 – –
1950 8 #2,938
1945 5 #3,600
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 10 #2,717
1925 12 #2,535
1920 21 #1,729
1915 17 #1,750
1910 – –
1905 6 #1,180
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 5 #1,095
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Magnus

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Magnus Carlsen Magnus Carlsen Norwegian chess grandmaster (born 1990) Contemporary
  2. 2 Magnus Hirschfeld Magnus Hirschfeld German sexologist (1868–1935) 19th century
  3. 3 Magnus the Good Magnus the Good King of Norway (1035–1047) and Denmark (1042–1047) 1024–1047 · Medieval
  4. 4 Magnus Maximus Magnus Maximus Roman emperor from 383 to 388 335–388 · Antiquity
  5. 5 Magnus Barefoot Magnus Barefoot King of Norway from 1093 to 1103 1073–1103 · Medieval
  6. 6 Magnus II of Norway King of Norway from 1066 to 1069 1048–1069 · Medieval
  7. 7 Magnus Norman Magnus Norman Swedish tennis player and coach b. 1976 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Magnus IV of Sweden Magnus IV of Sweden King of Sweden (1319–1364) and Norway (1319–1355) 1316–1374 · Medieval
  9. 9 Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney Earl of Orkney from 1106 to c. 1117 1075–1117 · Medieval
  10. 10 Magnus V of Norway King of Norway from 1161 to 1184 1156–1184 · Medieval
  11. 11 Magnus Hedman Magnus Hedman Swedish footballer b. 1973 · Contemporary
  12. 12 Magnus Carlsson Magnus Carlsson Musical artist b. 1974 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Magnus Uggla Magnus Uggla Swedish artist, composer, actor, and radio host b. 1954 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Magnus Bäckstedt Magnus Bäckstedt Swedish cyclist b. 1975 · Contemporary
  15. 15 Magnus VI of Norway Magnus VI of Norway King of Norway from 1263 to 1280 1238–1280 · Medieval
  16. 16 Magnus, Duke of Holstein Magnus, Duke of Holstein Danish prince, Prince-bishop of Ösel, King of Livonia 1540–1583 · 16th century
  17. 17 Magnus, Duke of Saxony Magnus, Duke of Saxony Duke of Saxony 1042–1106 · Medieval
  18. 18 Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie Swedish statesman (1622–1686) 17th century
  19. 19 Magnus Stenbock Magnus Stenbock Swedish field marshal and noble (1665–1717) 1664–1717 · 17th century
  20. 20 Magnus Lindberg Magnus Lindberg Finnish composer and pianist b. 1958 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Magnus, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Magnus?

The median living Magnus is about 8 years old. Half of all living Magnuss are between 4 and 15 years old.

How many people named Magnus are alive today?

An estimated 5,700 people named Magnus are alive in the United States, based on 6,172 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Magnus mean?

Borrowed from Latin magnus (“great”), taken from the title of Carolus Magnus "Charlemagne" by an eleventh century king of Norway, and brought to Scotland in medieval times.

How popular is the name Magnus in 2025?

Magnus ranked #765 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 337 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Magnus?

6,172 babies have been named Magnus in the United States since 1890, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Magnus most popular?

Magnus peaked in 2021, when 354 newborns received the name.

Is Magnus a boy or girl name?

Magnus is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Magnus rising or falling?

Magnus is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Magnus become more popular?

Magnus is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 372 boys named Magnus in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Magnus?

Well-known people named Magnus include Magnus Carlsen (chess player), Magnus Hirschfeld (physician), Magnus the Good (politician).

Names like Magnus

Names that sound and feel close to Magnus: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Magnus with similar names → More names starting with M →