A quirky vintage name gaining traction in many countries, Hugo blends in with today’s trendiest boy names while still maintaining a sound all his own. Hugo is a man on a mission, too, given his ability to top charts worldwide. But is he really deserving of his fame, or has the ending -o sound just promoted him to soar? Will Hugo continue to fall from his spot in the 400s range, or even drop off completely? Today, I’m diving into the history, popularity trajectory, and opinions surrounding the name Hugo, some of which may or may not alter your pre-existing opinions on the name. I hope you enjoy this article, and let’s begin!
Pros
For most people, Hugo resides in the perfect crevice of ‘fresh, but familiar,’ which is often the appeal of vintage names. Although they feel brand new and untarnished, maybe even trendy and current, they have years and years of use and wear, deep roots, and namesakes. So is the case with Hugo, who fits that description to a T. He feels thoroughly well known, but not insanely common. The great majority of people understand how to spell and pronounce Hugo, but he still feels relatively untouched. Not only does his vintage status give him the perfect balance of recognizable but not popular, his -o ending lends to his charm. Otto, Milo, Theo, and more have become one of the hottest groups of boy names, and girls are hopping onto the trend train too, with Margo and Harlow tagging along for the ride. Thanks to that appealing -o, Hugo has stayed up to date and trendy for not just families that have an Uncle Hugh to honor, but also modern day parents who are looking for something current and cool. The -o has thrust him into the spotlight and parents are all over him due to not only his sound but also the vintage vibe.
And Hugo has the most ideal popularity I think many parents could wish for: #460. That wonderful mesh of a commonplace name that won’t make Grandma’s jaw drop while also being a name that will likely not be sprinkled among the rosters of your son’s sports team is hard to find, but always in demand. And on top of all of that, Hugo also has a lovely meaning. Hugo stems from the German word hugu, which means a variety of things. In the past, hugu represented the concepts of the heart, soul, mind, thought, and spirit, so it’s difficult for us to pinpoint exactly what the name means. However, a common breakdown of the many meanings of the name is simply “mind.” Either way, Hugo represents several concepts that are typically looked at positively, and his roots are both legitimate and deep, which appeals to many families who are interested in a historical name that will stand the test of time and age well.
Cons
Perhaps Hugo’s US popularity appears appealing, but elsewhere in the world, Hugo is a mainstream #1 choice. Yup. Number one! In Spain, Hugo is the most popular boy name in the whole country, and he appears in the top 10 in Sweden, at #6, and France, at #9. Being a #1 name is no small achievement, and it’s nearly impossible for a name that ranks in the top 10 in 3 countries and even claims the title of most popular boy name in one to not be catapulted into popularity elsewhere as well. So although Hugo may appeal to families because he’s rarer than, say, other vintage favorites like Theodore or Oliver, it’s hard to deny that he won’t blow up like crazy in the next few years. On the other hand, Hugo is actually just yesterday’s trend. Hugo was most popular (in the last 40 or so years) in 2003 at #365, and peaked in 1901, at #328, meaning that he peaked, he hibernated, he rose up at his revival time, and now he’s just too dated for comfort and is falling. So he’s fundamentally awkwardly not on trend, a name 20 years too late to truly cash in on the -o party. On top of the fact that parents know more high school seniors than babies with this name, the hard g sound within Hugo makes him sound even more off trend. Gertrude, Gary, and Gregory all share a hard g sound that has become a trademark of ‘old’ names, which doesn’t help Hugo, who’s already falling in popularity thanks to an outburst of popularity a couple decades ago. Essentially, Hugo is likely to go one of two unwanted ways: spike in popularity, dulling his sparkle, or fall out of favor as an outdated name.
And then there’s associations. The controversial late president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, abused his power and made some parents shy away from using his name, which obviously isn’t great for Hugo on top of the issues with popularity. In addition, the DC comics character of Hugo Strange was the enemy of Batman, who served as a supervillain who tormented the hero throughout the series continually. Although one may not suppose that a comic or another country’s leader would influence what people think of the name, associations can be the difference between Hugo going on the birth certificate or being discarded, scratched off the list with a negative connection in mind.
Predictions For Hugo:
Hugo, although having quite the rocky popularity history, is sure to piggyback off of the new -o trend and come back in style bigger and better than he did originally in 2003, at least in my book. I think that parents still look at Hugo as a vintage treasure, and don’t take into account the teenage children with the name, and therefore the name will continue to thrive and may rise in popularity as families seek out alternatives to Milo and Theo. I hope you enjoyed this article, and comment down below with your opinions, predictions, and suggestions!
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
Do you like the name Hugo? Would you consider it for your child? Comment down below to let me know!
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