Gus

Gus is an English short form of the names Gustav, Angus, and Augustus. Thus, this first name has various meanings, including 'staff of the Goths' (from Gustav), 'one choice' (from Angus), and 'the exalted' (from Augustus).

What does the name Gus mean?

Gus is an English abbreviation for the names Gustav, Angus, and Augustus. The meanings vary: Gustav stands for 'staff of the Goths', Angus means 'one choice', and Augustus translates to 'the exalted'. The name Gustav has its roots in the Old Swedish terms guth, meaning 'God', and stav, meaning 'staff' or 'stick'. Angus comes from the Old Irish word óen and the Celtic oino, meaning 'one', and guss, meaning 'strength', 'power', or from the Celtic gustos, meaning 'choice'. The name Augustus originates from the Latin augĕo or augēre, meaning 'to increase', 'to develop', 'to expand', 'to strengthen', and 'to improve'.

Where does the name Gus come from?

Gus is a male first name that has both Old Irish and Latin roots. The meanings include 'staff of the Goths' and 'one choice'. The name derives from Gustav, whose components guth (God) and stav (staff, stick) come from Old Swedish. Angus traces back to the Old Irish and Celtic words óen and oino (one) and guss (strength, power) or gustos (choice). Augustus derives from Latin, where augĕo or augēre means 'to increase' or 'to strengthen', and in the comparative form augustus means 'sacred', 'venerable', or 'exalted'. The name is commonly used in English.

How do you pronounce Gus?

The pronunciation of Gus is monosyllabic and is articulated succinctly as 'Gus' [ɡʊs]. The short u sound gives the name a dark, compact timbre. The final s provides a soft, hissing sound that lends the name a clear, direct note. Despite its simple structure, Gus remains present.

Popularity

In Germany, Gus is a rare first name, currently ranking 5,840th on the list of most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2014 at rank 3,829. In the last ten years, the name has been given fewer than 10 times, placing it 7,739th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 7,533rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Gumsi / Gusi

Famous people

• Gus Aiken (American jazz musician)
• Gus Arriola (cartoonist from the USA)
• Gus Backus (Donald Edgar Backus) (American musician and singer)
• Gus Bell (baseball player from America)
• Gus Black (singer from America)
• Gus Bono (baseball player from America)
• Gus Bradley (American football player)
• Gus Brown (British actor)
• Gus Dorais (football player from the USA)
• Gus Elen (British singer)
• Gus Ferguson (South African illustrator)
• Gus Forslund (Swedish ice hockey player)
• Gus G. (musician from Greece)
• Gus G. Widmayer (German writer)
• Gus Gerard (basketball player from America)
• Gus Gil (baseball player from Venezuela)
• Gus Hansen (poker player)
• Gus Hollomon (football player from the USA)
• Gus Hurdle (British football player)
• Gus Hutchison (American writer)