The story behind Hugo
From Old French Hugo, of Germanic origin, from Frankish *hugi (“thought, mind, spirit”).
Other language forms and explanations (3)
Finnish entry
From Swedish Hugo, probably from a short form of Old High German Hugubert (literally “bright by (one's) mind”). Cognate with German Hugo, English Hugh.
Portuguese entry
From Old French Hugo, of Germanic origin, from Frankish *hugi (“thought, mind, spirit”).
Slovak entry
Derived from French Hugo.
Pronunciation
US: /ˈhju.ɡoʊ/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈhjuː.ɡəʊ/
- US, less often: /ˈju.ɡoʊ/
- Finnish: /ˈhu(ː)ɡo/
- Finnish: [ˈhu(ː)ɡo̞]
- Portuguese; Brazil: /ˈu.ɡu/
- Portuguese; Portugal: /ˈu.ɡu/
- Portuguese; Portugal: [ˈu.ɣu]
- Portuguese; Portugal; Southern: /ˈu.ɡu/
- Slovak: /ɦuɡɔ/
- Slovak: [ˈɦuɡɔ]
Popularity
Hugo ranked #378 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Hugo
Ivo
Latinate form of a medieval name of Old French origin, from Proto-Germanic *īhwaz (“yew, bow”). Name of French and English saints. Cognate with modern French Yves.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Milo
A Latinate variant of Miles. From Czech Milo, short for Miloslav.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Otto
Borrowed from German Otto, from Old High German, short form of compound names (such as Otachar, Ottokar) beginning with Proto-West Germanic *aud, from Proto-Germanic *audaz…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Hero
From Ancient Greek Ἡρώ (Hērṓ).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bruno
From Italian, German etc continental European Bruno, name of medieval Italian and German saints and royalty, Latinized form of Old High German brūn (“brown”), from Proto-West…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Esko
From Eskel, ultimately from Swedish Eskil, name of a medieval saint (an archbishop), from Old Norse Áskell.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Hugo
Bo
Either borrowed from modern Danish Bo or Swedish Bo, or a spelling variant of the male given name Beau. From Old Norse Búi (“dweller, long-time resident”), originally a…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Guy
From Old French Gui, from a Frankish form of Proto-West Germanic *Widō (compare Old Dutch Wido), a short form of names beginning with the element *widu (“wood”), from…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Kai
Taken into regular use in the 1990s, with earlier popularity peaks in Scandinavia and Germany. The medieval Danish Kaj is possibly of Roman origin, Latinized as Caius, like the…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Hugo
Ada
Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adel
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Alex
Clipping of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient…
- Gender
- neutral
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends X
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection