Gustaf
A male given name from Swedish.
Every Gustaf since 1880 — 747 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gustaf
Gustaf is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 747 American babies have been named Gustaf. Its peak came in 1917, when 25 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gustaf stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gustaf year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 5 | #12,878 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | 8 | #9,011 |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 6 | #11,268 |
| 2017 | 10 | #7,783 |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | 6 | #11,166 |
| 2014 | 8 | #9,067 |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 6 | #11,284 |
| 2011 | 7 | #9,995 |
| 2010 | 7 | #10,036 |
| 2009 | 6 | #11,480 |
| 2008 | 10 | #7,888 |
| 2007 | 11 | #7,265 |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | 6 | #10,565 |
| 2004 | 6 | #10,426 |
| 2003 | 5 | #11,505 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8,780 |
| 2001 | 5 | #11,175 |
| 2000 | 5 | #10,996 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6,605 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | 5 | #6,924 |
| 1980 | 5 | #6,618 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,118 |
| 1925 | 10 | #2,830 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2,382 |
| 1915 | 24 | #1,386 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | 9 | #867 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,020 |
| 1890 | 9 | #696 |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,003 |
| 1880 | 6 | #859 |
Famous people named Gustaf
- Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden Politician · 1882–1973
- Gustaf V of Sweden Politician · 1858–1950
- Gustaf Dalén Physicist · 1869–1937
- Gustaf de Laval Engineer · 1845–1913
- Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt Politician · 1757–1814
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gustaf mean?
A male given name from Swedish.
How popular is the name Gustaf in 2025?
Gustaf did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Gustaf?
747 babies have been named Gustaf in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gustaf most popular?
Gustaf peaked in 1917, when 25 newborns received the name.
Is Gustaf a boy or girl name?
Gustaf is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gustaf rising or falling?
Gustaf is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gustaf?
Well-known people named Gustaf include Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden (politician), Gustaf V of Sweden (politician), Gustaf Dalén (physicist).