Magnus - A very unique male name
Magnus at a glance
Magnus is ranked #779 among boy baby names in 2025, with 281 births in 2025. It peaked in 2017 at #724 and first appeared on the charts in 1915.
- Rank in 2025
- #779
- Births in 2025
- 281
- Peak year
- 2017 (#724)
- First appeared
- 1915
- Trend
- #794 in 2020 → #779 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 5,218 boys
- Visitor rating
- 5.0/5 (13 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 5,218 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Magnus peaked in popularity 9 years ago in 2017 on position 724.
Famous with this name
Magnus Krepper
Magnus Samuelsson
Magnús Scheving
How would you rate Magnus, 1-5?
Magnus is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Magnus is currently topping the baby name charts in North Dakota at position #248 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #988.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Magnus is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Magnus origin and meaning
Latin, adopted in Scandinavia
Great — Latin magnus, spread as a royal name in Norway and Scotland, where tradition links it to Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus)
Magnus is Latin for 'great' that became a king's name in medieval Norway and Denmark, and a saint's name in Orkney and Shetland. In the US it has been quietly present since 1915 and is inching up — chess world champion Magnus Carlsen has made it the name's modern emblem.
Attested etymology
Magnus is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Magnus, pop culture references for the name Magnus and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Magnus
We've found the following names that sound similar to Magnus, sorted by popularity.
Maximus / Mackenzie / Mckenzie / Maximos / Miking / Maxximus / Munachimso / Makenzie / Mackenzi / Mackenson /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 779 |
| 2024 | 782 |
| 2023 | 760 |
| 2022 | 774 |
| 2021 | 724 |
| 2020 | 794 |
| 2019 | 794 |
| 2018 | 774 |
| 2017 | 724 |
| 2016 | 794 |
| 2015 | 884 |
| 2014 | 970 |
| 2013 | 980 |
| 2012 | 1181 |
| 2011 | 1284 |
| 2010 | 1172 |
| 2009 | 1425 |
| 2008 | 1218 |
| 2007 | 1204 |
| 2006 | 1405 |
| 2005 | 1543 |
| 2004 | 1887 |
| 2003 | 1863 |
| 2002 | 2057 |
| 2001 | 1832 |
| 2000 | 2386 |
| 1999 | 2371 |
| 1998 | 1941 |
| 1997 | 2992 |
| 1923 | 1659 |
| 1916 | 1689 |
| 1915 | 1660 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | 248 |
| Idaho | 360 |
| Oregon | 364 |
| Utah | 429 |
| Wisconsin | 465 |
| Washington | 466 |
| Arizona | 515 |
| Kansas | 566 |
| Massachusetts | 595 |
| Colorado | 605 |
| Iowa | 641 |
| Ohio | 662 |
| Kentucky | 683 |
| California | 725 |
| New York | 738 |
| Minnesota | 770 |
| Indiana | 818 |
| Missouri | 840 |
| Virginia | 848 |
| Texas | 907 |
| Florida | 941 |
| Michigan | 967 |
| Pennsylvania | 975 |
| Illinois | 985 |
| North Carolina | 988 |
Even more about Magnus
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Magnus a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Magnus?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
MAG-nus · /ˈmæɡnÉ™s/
Around the world
- Magnus (Norwegian) — Used as-is in Norwegian
- Magnus (Danish) — Used as-is in Danish
- Magnus (Swedish) — Used as-is in Swedish
Spellings and nicknames
Nicknames: Mag
Famous bearers
- Magnus Carlsen — Norwegian chess grandmaster and former world chess champion (b. 1990) Contemporary
Style
RoyalClassicInternational
Why parents choose it
Magnus is quietly grand — a name that literally says 'great' and has a chess genius and Viking kings to back it up.
Worth knowing
- 'Great' is a lot of meaning to live up to; teasing about it is possible
- Reads Scandinavian-first to many, though its roots are Latin
