Gustav
Boy name · #3658 in 2025 · Uniqueness 84/100
In 2025, 30 baby boys were named Gustav, placing it at #3658 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 60,000 boys born in 2025 was named Gustav.
Babies named Gustav per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Gustav first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 33 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1917, when 99 boys were named Gustav — good for #597 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gustav against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gustav in class?
Gustav scores 84 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Gustav will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gustav is most common
State-level data for Gustav is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Gustav
Statistically, parents drawn to Gustav tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gaston, Mahlon, Tillman, Wilber, and Christ.
GastonMahlonTillmanWilberChristGaetanoSilvioCyril
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gustav | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #3658 |
| 2024 | 35 | #3335 |
| 2023 | 33 | #3474 |
| 2022 | 30 | #3691 |
| 2021 | 34 | #3362 |
| 2020 | 37 | #3074 |
| 2019 | 45 | #2766 |
| 2018 | 33 | #3373 |
| 2017 | 33 | #3378 |
| 2016 | 28 | #3776 |
| 2015 | 23 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 19 | #4866 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 27 | #3807 |
| 2011 | 29 | #3605 |
| 2010 | 27 | #3812 |
| 2009 | 43 | #2800 |
| 2008 | 38 | #3057 |
| 2007 | 24 | #4127 |
| 2006 | 33 | #3227 |
| 2005 | 26 | #3615 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 24 | #3626 |
| 2002 | 29 | #3095 |
| 2001 | 35 | #2681 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gustav a popular boy name?
Gustav ranked #3658 among boys in 2025 with 30 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Gustav most popular?
Gustav peaked in 1917, when 99 American boys received the name (ranked #597 that year). Since 1917 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gustav?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 60,000 newborn American boys was named Gustav. It scores 84/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.