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Gustav

Boy name · 9 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Gustav: 9 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2017.

Gustav derives from the Old Norse *Gautstafr*, meaning “staff of the Goths” or, by extension, “royal staff”, and has long been a regal name in Scandinavia. Among its most famous bearers are the composer Gustav Mahler, whose symphonies reshaped classical music, and King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden, a key military leader in the Thirty Years’ War. The Swedish king’s legacy inspired the name of Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barthélemy. The French variant Gustave is also well known, particularly through engineer Gustave Eiffel. Though less common in Scotland than in Nordic countries, Gustav has appeared steadily in Scottish birth records, often chosen by parents with Scandinavian heritage or a taste for strong, historic names with royal resonance.

Boy 3 of 52 years

Peak year
20173 babies
Latest (2022)
#7033 babies
Total births
9since 2017
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2017 · 3
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).