Gustavo Boy

Popularity: #542 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: goos-TAH-voh /ɡusˈtɑ.voʊ/

Origin: Spanish; Portuguese

Meaning: Staff of the Goths

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Gustavo has its roots in the Old Norse name "Gustaf," which is derived from the elements "gautr," meaning "Goth" or "from the Geats," and "stafr," meaning "staff" or "support." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, transitioning from Old Norse to Swedish, where it became "Gustav." The name was introduced into English through the influence of Scandinavian languages and the historical connections between England and Scandinavia, particularly during the Viking Age and later during the medieval period. One of the most significant historical milestones associated with the name Gustavo is its adoption by several Swedish kings, notably Gustav I of Sweden, who reigned from 1523 to 1560.

He is often credited with founding the modern Swedish state and played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. The name continued to be borne by various monarchs, including Gustav II Adolf, who ruled from 1611 to 1632 and is remembered for his military leadership during the Thirty Years' War.

These royal associations helped solidify the name's prominence in Scandinavian history. Culturally, the name Gustavo has been linked to themes of strength and leadership, reflecting its etymological roots in support and guidance.

It has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, including the Spanish variant "Gustavo," which has been popular in Spanish-speaking countries. The name's historical significance and royal connections have contributed to its enduring legacy, making it a symbol of nobility and strength throughout the centuries.

Famous people named Gustavo

In this section, you will find notable people named Gustavo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Gustavo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Gustavo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Gustavo Dudamel is a conductor best known for his work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, and his performances at the BBC Proms.

Gustavo Fring is a fictional character best known as a drug lord in the television series Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul.

Gustavo Santaolalla is a composer and musician best known for his work on the soundtracks of Brokeback Mountain, Babel, and The Motorcycle Diaries.

Fictional characters named Gustavo

The following list of fictional characters named Gustavo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Gustavo Fring is a fictional character from the TV series Breaking Bad. He is a major drug lord who operates with a facade of a legitimate businessman, running a fast-food chain while managing a vast drug empire.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Gustavo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GabrielMateoDiegoSantiagoJulianEmilio

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Gustavo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GustavGusGustafGustieGustyGustavus

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Gustavo was first seen in the United States in 1911.

Gustavo has ranked as high as #502 nationally, which occurred in 2000, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Gustavo has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Gustavo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Gustavo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Gustavo.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 447 447 0
2024 439 439 0
2023 434 434 0
2022 435 435 0
2021 417 417 0
2020 432 432 0
2019 457 457 0
2018 443 443 0
2017 487 487 0
2016 517 517 0
2015 545 545 0
2014 586 586 0
2013 609 609 0
2012 707 707 0
2011 624 624 0
2010 684 684 0
2009 838 838 0
2008 973 973 0
2007 1,137 1,137 0
2006 1,080 1,080 0
2005 1,114 1,114 0
2004 1,102 1,102 0
2003 1,170 1,170 0
2002 1,177 1,177 0
2001 1,141 1,141 0
2000 1,295 1,290 5
1999 935 935 0
1998 901 896 5
1997 918 918 0
1996 903 898 5
1995 916 911 5
1994 975 970 5
1993 1,015 1,010 5
1992 880 873 7
1991 858 849 9
1990 727 722 5
1989 706 700 6
1988 526 526 0
1987 635 629 6
1986 448 448 0
1985 459 452 7
1984 371 371 0
1983 384 378 6
1982 451 451 0
1981 508 508 0
1980 393 388 5
1979 336 336 0
1978 309 304 5
1977 335 330 5
1976 326 319 7
1975 313 307 6
1974 307 307 0
1973 289 289 0
1972 262 262 0
1971 279 279 0
1970 271 271 0
1969 240 240 0
1968 210 210 0
1967 194 194 0
1966 178 178 0
1965 182 182 0
1964 178 178 0
1963 212 212 0
1962 175 175 0
1961 188 188 0
1960 140 140 0
1959 149 149 0
1958 140 140 0
1957 107 107 0
1956 113 113 0
1955 115 115 0
1954 111 111 0
1953 113 113 0
1952 78 78 0
1951 86 86 0
1950 70 70 0
1949 55 55 0
1948 58 58 0
1947 57 57 0
1946 49 49 0
1945 38 38 0
1944 39 39 0
1943 33 33 0
1942 36 36 0
1941 40 40 0
1940 39 39 0
1939 38 38 0
1938 30 30 0
1937 35 35 0
1936 27 27 0
1935 43 43 0
1934 39 39 0
1933 38 38 0
1932 38 38 0
1931 37 37 0
1930 41 41 0
1929 31 31 0
1928 41 41 0
1927 35 35 0
1926 32 32 0
1925 31 31 0
1924 39 39 0
1923 30 30 0
1922 24 24 0
1921 28 28 0
1920 26 26 0
1919 25 25 0
1918 22 22 0
1917 20 20 0
1916 16 16 0
1915 15 15 0
1914 11 11 0
1913 12 12 0
1911 8 8 0

Top States for Gustavo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 100
25%
CA 73
18%
FL 31
8%
AZ 20
5%
IL 19
5%
GA 14
3%
CO 14
3%
NY 13
3%
IN 11
3%
NC 10
2%
WA 9
2%
NJ 9
2%
MA 8
2%
PA 7
2%
UT 6
1%
OH 6
1%
LA 6
1%
AL 6
1%
MD 6
1%
VA 5
1%
OK 5
1%
OR 5
1%
WI 5
1%
SC 5
1%
MN 5
1%
TN 5
1%