Hugh
Hugh is a boys' name of German origin meaning “mind, intellect, spirit.” It ranked #732 in the United States in 2025. From the Old High German Hug, meaning mind or spirit.
how do you pronounce Hugh?
HYOO
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Hugh mean?
The name Hugh means “mind, intellect, spirit.” It comes from the German language tradition.
From the Old High German Hug, meaning mind or spirit. Brought to England by the Normans, it was enormously popular in medieval Europe, borne by saints, kings, and noblemen. It has a quiet, understated distinction.
where does the name Hugh come from?
Both sources trace Hugh to a Continental Germanic element meaning mind or spirit. Wikipedia gives the chain as Hugh, the English-language variant of Hugues, itself the Old French variant of Hugo, a short form of Germanic names built on that element. Wiktionary adds that the name is cognate with the words mind, spirit, and intellect, and related to high and how.
the history of Hugh
Wiktionary confirms it functioned as both an aristocratic name and a saint's name, brought to England by the Normans as a short form of names like Hubert, though it gives no specific dates or named bearers.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #732 |
| 2024 | #762 |
| 2023 | #785 |
| 2022 | #804 |
| 2021 | #742 |
| 2020 | #749 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Hugh?
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Hugh?
- Hugh Grant (actor)
- Hugh Jackman (actor)
- Hugh Laurie (actor)
what names are similar to Hugh?
what names go well with Hugh?
Sibling names that share Hugh's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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