Magnus
2025 SSA
About Magnus
Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named after Charlemagne, introduced it to his culture, and thus Magnus was the name of six early kings of Norway and four of Sweden. It is still a highly popular name in Denmark and Norway.
Magnus, a powerful name with a commanding presence, is one of the newly unearthed ancient artifacts. It was picked for their sons by Will Ferrell (whose wife Viveca Paulin is Swedish), Kristy Swanson, and Elizabeth Banks—likely credited for this name's jump into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013, as one of the year's fastest-rising names. Its fashionable s ending may keep it in popular use.
Magnus has made appearances as a vampire in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and as a character in Roald Dahl's Matilda. And for an extra ego boost, in Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, there's the following dialogue:
"'Magnus is my name. It's rather a good name, I think, sir.'
'A very good name, indeed,' said Mr. Pickwick."
Pronounced MAG-nus.
As of October 2026, Magnus ranked #765 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #719 in 2017, Nameberry popularity #184.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #978 | 215 | 111.9 |
| 2015 | #855 | 263 | 137.2 |
| 2016 | #796 | 296 | 156 |
| 2017 | #719 | 335 | 181 |
| 2018 | #781 | 295 | 162.4 |
| 2019 | #781 | 299 | 166.6 |
| 2020 | #800 | 290 | 168 |
| 2021 | #730 | 354 | 202.3 |
| 2022 | #774 | 327 | 187.3 |
| 2023 | #764 | 337 | 197 |
| 2024 | #749 | 340 | 197.3 |
| 2025 | #765 | 337 | 197.3 |
World rankings
Similar names
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Magnus on lists
Famous Magnuss
- Magnus Johnson
American politician
- Magnus the Good
King of Norway and Denmark
- Magnus II
King of Norway
- Magnus Barefoot
King of Norway
- Magnus IV
VI, Kings of Norway
- Magnus I
IV, Kings of Sweden
- Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Norwegian poet
- (Sven) Magnus Øen Carlsen
Norwegian chess champion
- Magnus Hirschfeld
German physician
- Magnus Scheving
Icelandic actor and TV producer
- Magnús Ver Magnússon
Icelandic strongman
- Magnus Norman
Swedish tennis player
- Magnus
ring name of Nicholas "Nick" Aldis, English pro wrestler
- Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie
Swedish statesman and general
- Magnus Hubert Twisleton Wykeham Fiennes
English composer
- Magnus Paajarvi
Swedish hockey player
- Pompey Magnus aka Pompey the Great
Roman consul and general
- Ore Magnus Lawson aka Lil' O
American rapper
- Magnus Wollter
son of actor Sven Wollter
- Magnus Jackson Diehl
son of actor John Diehl and singer Julie Christensen
- Magnus Paulin Ferrell (b. 2004)
son of actor Will Ferrell
- Magnus Hart Swanson Eisler (b. 2007)
son of actress Kristy Swanson and skater Lloyd Eisler
- Magnus Mitchell Handelman (b. 2012)
son of actress Elizabeth Banks
- Magnus Hamilton Miller (b. 2012)
son of singer Jennifer Nettles
Magnus in pop culture
- Magnus "Maggie"
character in 2005 movie "Hitch"
- Magnus Bane
warlock in Cassandra Clare's shadowhunters chronicles
- Magnus Martinsson
character in the Wallander series
- Magnus
character in the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, Lestat's creator
- "Magnus Powermouse
" children's book by Dick King,Smith.
- Dr. Magnus Honey
Miss Honey's father and Agatha Trunchbull's brother,in,law in book/movie "Matilda"
- Dr. Helen Magnus
character in TV show "Sanctuary" (played by Amanda Tapping)
- Magnus
one of the dragon elders in game "Spyro the Dragon"
- Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard
book series
- Magnus the Rogue
character in the game "Minecraft Story Mode"
- Magnus Pórsson
character in the Netflix Original, "Sense8"
- Magnus Christensen
character in Danish TV drama "Borgen"
- Magnus Burnsides
character in the podcast "The Adventure Zone"
- Jonah Magnus
character in the podcast "The Magnus Archives"
- Magnus Chase
titular character in novel series “Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard”