Hughe
Masculine name of French origin meaning "mind" or "intellect".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Hughe. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hughe today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hughe births was 1919 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hughe. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hughe. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1919
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1919 SSA rank
#4,455
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Hughe: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Hughe by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hughe during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Hughe
The name Hughe has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically the Old English and Old Frisian forms of "Hugh". It is derived from the Germanic root "hug", meaning heart, mind, or soul. The name Hughe emerged during the Middle Ages in English-speaking regions of Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hughe can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with the name Hughe, indicating its usage in medieval England.
In the 12th century, Hughe was a relatively common name among the nobility and clergy. One notable figure was Hughe de Puiset, the Bishop of Durham from 1153 to 1195. He was a powerful and influential figure in the church and played a significant role in the political affairs of England during the reigns of Henry II and Richard I.
Another prominent Hughe in history was Hughe le Despenser, a wealthy English nobleman who lived during the 13th century. He served as a trusted advisor to King Edward I and was granted extensive lands and titles for his loyal service.
In the 15th century, Hughe Oldham, born around 1452, was a renowned English churchman and scholar. He served as the Bishop of Exeter and was known for his contributions to the field of theology and his involvement in ecclesiastical affairs.
During the Tudor period in England, Hughe Latimer, born around 1485, was a prominent Protestant reformer and one of the leading figures in the English Reformation. He was a renowned preacher and played a vital role in the religious and political upheavals of the time, ultimately being martyred for his beliefs in 1555.
As the name Hughe evolved over the centuries, it gave rise to various spelling variations, such as Hugh, Hew, and Hue. These forms were used interchangeably in different regions and time periods, reflecting the fluidity of naming conventions in earlier eras.
People
Hughe + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hughe as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hughe: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hughe?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hughe going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Hughe a common name?
We classify Hughe as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hughe most popular?
The single biggest year for Hughe was 1919, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hughe is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hughe in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hughe a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hughe in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Hughe still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hughe in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hughe can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Hughe as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Hughe on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.