Magnus
A name of Latin origin meaning "great" or "mighty".
Name Census estimates that about 5,403 living Americans carry the first name Magnus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Magnus today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Magnus births was 2021 (354 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Magnus. 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
- • Magnus is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 13 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
5.4K
~ 1 in 63,438 Americans
Peak year
2021
354 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#749
Tracked since 1890
Popularity
Magnus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Magnus from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 2,389 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Magnus remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Magnus 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 Magnus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Magnus' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 37 states and territories. California, Washington, Texas recorded the most babies named Magnus, while South Dakota, South Carolina, North Dakota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 103 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Magnus
The name Magnus is derived from the Latin word "magnus" meaning "great" or "mighty." It has its roots in ancient Roman culture, where it was used as a cognomen or nickname to describe someone of significant stature or achievement.
The earliest recorded use of Magnus as a given name dates back to the 4th century AD, when it was borne by a Roman military commander named Magnus Maximus, who briefly ruled as the Western Roman Emperor from 383 to 388 AD. This early association with military prowess and leadership likely contributed to the name's enduring popularity.
In the Middle Ages, Magnus became a common name among Scandinavian and Germanic populations, particularly in Norway and Sweden. It was often given to children with the hope that they would grow to embody the qualities of greatness and strength implied by the name's meaning.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Magnus was Magnus the Good, the King of Norway from 1035 to 1047. He played a significant role in the consolidation of Christianity in Norway and was renowned for his efforts to establish a code of laws and promote peace and stability in the region.
Another prominent Magnus was Magnus Erlendsson, an Icelandic chieftain and lawspeaker in the 12th century. He is celebrated in the Icelandic sagas for his wisdom, eloquence, and leadership during a time of political turmoil in the country.
In the 13th century, Magnus VI of Norway, also known as Magnus the Lawmender, was a respected king who sought to reform and codify Norwegian law. His reign from 1263 to 1280 was marked by efforts to strengthen the monarchy and establish a more centralized system of governance.
The name Magnus also found its way into the world of science and philosophy. Magnus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher who ruled from 161 to 180 AD, is renowned for his philosophical writings, including the famous "Meditations."
Throughout history, the name Magnus has been associated with individuals of great achievement, power, and influence, reflecting the aspirations and values of the cultures that embraced it.
People
Magnus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Magnus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Magnus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Magnus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5,403 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Magnus 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 1 in 63,438 US residents.
Is Magnus a common name?
We classify Magnus as "Rare". It ranks above 96.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5,830 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Magnus most popular?
The single biggest year for Magnus was 2021, when 354 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Magnus is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Magnus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Magnus 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.
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.