HUGH  

Gender: M
Origin: English from German
Meaning: "mind, intellect"

Popularity in 2008: #998

Patrician to the core, a name that almost broke the Top 100 a century ago here but now is used very quietly. The name has always been particularly prevalent among the Irish -- there have been 20 Irish Saint Hughs, and it's traditionally associated with the O'Donnell clan. Hugh was an early immigrant to the New World, where there were two Hughs in the first English-speaking settlement in America. Hugh's biggest drawback is its sound, barely more than an exhaled breath. Actor Hugh Jackman adds a dash of the romantic hero. Hew and Huw are the distinctively -- probably too distinctively -- spelled Welsh forms.

Variations:
Huey, Hughie, Hughes, Hew, Hewe, Howell, Hew, Hewe, Hughes, Howell, Huey, Hughie

International Variations:
Hugo (Danish) Aodg (Irish Gaelic) Hugón, Uguecria, Hugolino, Hugues, Ugo, Ugolino, Huguito, Ugone, Hugin (Spanish) Huw (Welsh)

Hugh is being discussed in our message boards:

• little Lilia begs for brother's name, please:)!
• Best of British - some Telegraph birth announcements
• Recent Welsh Babies
• Victor or Arthur?
• nicknames

Read Nameberry blog posts about Hugh:

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NAMEBERRY!
• NAMES ON FIRE
• GLAMOUR GIRLS AND BOYS
• NAME SHAME
• AUSTRALIAN BABY NAMES: Digging Up Names From Down Under