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Home › Baby Names Directory › Columbus

Columbus

♂ Boy

Pronounced kuh-LUM-bus /kəˈlʌm.bəs/Medium

Meaning: Columbus comes from the Latin columba, 'dove', and entered American given-name use chiefly as a namesake honoring the explorer Christopher Columbus. It reads as a patriotic-era tribute name.Medium

In 30 seconds: A namesake name: Columbus means 'dove' in Latin (said 'kuh-LUM-bus'), used to honor the explorer.
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Origin MediumLatin
MeaningColumbus comes from the Latin columba, 'dove', and entered American given-name use chiefly as a namesake honoring the explorer Christopher Columbus. It reads as a patriotic-era tribute name.
U.S. rank (2023)#12573 ↘ Falling
2023 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,517

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218802023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Columbus derives from the Latin columba, 'dove', and came into American use as a namesake for Christopher Columbus. It belonged to an era that freely turned the surnames and names of historical figures into given names, cresting around 1922. It faded as that naming style waned.

Uncommon now, it reads as a weighty namesake antique. Historical and distinctive.

Did you know? Columbus — Latin for 'dove' — was given as a namesake for the explorer, part of an early-century vogue for honoring historical figures, with its peak around 1922.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Columbus — Latin columba 'dove'; namesake for the explorer

Variations

ColomboColinColumba

Nicknames

LumColby

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Columbus…

Colin— a like Col- boys' name
Lincoln— a similar namesake surname-name
Jefferson— a like historical namesake name
Sylvanus— a similarly popular pick
Claudius— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Columbus

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Columbus mean?

Columbus comes from the Latin columba, 'dove'; as a given name it honored the explorer Christopher Columbus.

How do you pronounce Columbus?

It's said kuh-LUM-bus /kəˈlʌm.bəs/ — three syllables, stress on the middle.

Is Columbus a boy or girl name?

Columbus is used as a boy's name.

Is Columbus making a comeback?

Columbus is uncommon today and reads as an early-century namesake name rather than a current trend.

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