Magnus
Magnus is a boys' name of Latin origin meaning “great.” It ranked #765 in the United States in 2025. Magnus is the Latin word for 'great,' first used as a cognomen by the Romans and later adopted widely across…
how do you pronounce Magnus?
MAG-nus
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Magnus mean?
The name Magnus means “great.” It comes from the Latin language tradition.
Magnus is the Latin word for 'great,' first used as a cognomen by the Romans and later adopted widely across Scandinavia after Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus). Seven Norwegian kings bore the name. Chess champion Magnus Carlsen has given it modern intellectual associations. It is a name of supreme confidence and simplicity.
where does the name Magnus come from?
Wiktionary explains Magnus as the Latin word for great, and separately records it as a Latinization of the Old Norse names Magnús and Magni, each already influenced by that same Latin word. Wikipedia's list of notable Magnuses adds no further derivation. The claim that seven Norwegian kings bore the name isn't confirmed by anything found here.
the history of Magnus
Wiktionary records that an eleventh-century king of Norway took the name from the title of Carolus Magnus, Charlemagne, and that it was brought to Scotland in medieval times.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #765 |
| 2024 | #747 |
| 2023 | #763 |
| 2022 | #774 |
| 2021 | #730 |
| 2020 | #801 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Magnus?
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Magnus?
- Magnus Carlsen (Norwegian chess grandmaster and former World Champion)
- Magnus Magnusson (Icelandic-British TV presenter, Mastermind)
what names are similar to Magnus?
what names go well with Magnus?
Sibling names that share Magnus's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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