Total births
20,119
Boys' name · since 1880
Gus
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 20,119 babies named Gus, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1211
- among boys today
- 20,119
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
20,119 babies have been named Gus since 1880, making it today's #1211 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gus has been recorded 20,119 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1211 nationally and more common than 92% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1211 among boys today
- 20,119 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 92% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gus is currently the #1211 boys' name in America, more common than 92% of boys - 20,119 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1211
- among boys today
- 20,119
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 92%
- more common than other boys
Gus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1211
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 92% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Gus was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
327 babies were named Gus in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Gus compares
20,119 Top 6% higher than 94% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gus's all-time total is 55x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 20,119 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 327 | 23 | 22,252 |
Gus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gus's full recorded timeline at 1953, 40% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 60% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1996, with just 29 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 327 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#1,211
Active since
1880
Gus popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 327
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Gus popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1924 (Gus as girls' name)
Gus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Gus's strongest decade.
2,939 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Gus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 1,029
1880s
1,029 births
- 1890s 885
1890s
885 births
- 1900s 862
1900s
862 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,288 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,939 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,990 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,623 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,748 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,422 births
- 1970s 873
1970s
873 births
- 1980s 500
1980s
500 births
- 1990s 442
1990s
442 births
- 2000s 883
2000s
883 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,620 births
- 2020s 1,015
2020s
1,015 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,939 births (15% of all-time use).
How Gus compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gus's total volume
Gus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gus by state
Where Gus concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,670 | 8.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 1,457 | 7.2% |
| #3 | California | | 1,250 | 6.2% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 1,076 | 5.3% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 622 | 3.1% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 619 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 602 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 584 | 2.9% |
Texas share of Gus's total US births 8.3%
Even split
1,670 of 20,119 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Gus appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gus? ▼
20,119 babies have been named Gus since 1880. It currently ranks #1211 among boys. The peak year was 1921 with 327 births.
When was Gus most popular? ▼
Gus was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,939 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Gus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gus are Texas (1,670 births), New York (1,457 births), California (1,250 births).
How long has the name Gus been used? ▼
Records for Gus go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gustavo, Gustave, Gustav, Gust, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gus's data
- Gus's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (2,939 total births) through the 2020s (1,015) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Guss (1,670 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gus
Nearby Names Like Gus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gus
Gustavo Boy
#640 40,357 births
Gustave Boy
#6199 5,430 births
Gustav Boy
#3336 4,267 births
Gust Boy
1,871 births
Guss Boy
1,136 births
Compare Gus side by side: Gus vs Gustavo Gus vs Gustave Gus vs Gustav
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gus
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gus: #1211 Boys' Name - 20,119 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gus. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gus draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.