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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gust

Gust

♂ Boy

Pronounced GUST /ˈɡʌst/High

Meaning: Gust is a short form of Gustav (or August), the Scandinavian and German names, brought to America by immigrants. Gustav is usually traced to Old Norse elements meaning 'staff of the Geats' or 'staff of the gods'; August comes from Latin 'augustus,' 'venerable.' Gust served as the everyday name on the register.Medium

In 30 seconds: Gust is a short form of Gustav or August, brought by Scandinavian and German immigrants (said 'GUST').
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Origin MediumSwedish, German
MeaningGust is a short form of Gustav (or August), the Scandinavian and German names, brought to America by immigrants. Gustav is usually traced to Old Norse elements meaning 'staff of the Geats' or 'staff of the gods'; August comes from Latin 'augustus,' 'venerable.' Gust served as the everyday name on the register.
U.S. rank (1984)#5848 ↘ Falling
1984 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1923
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,871

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192318801984

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

Gust is an immigrant-era short form, standing in for Gustav or August. Gustav, a royal name in Sweden, is generally read from Old Norse elements as 'staff of the Geats' or 'staff of the gods'; August derives from the Latin 'augustus,' meaning 'venerable' or 'majestic.' On American records the clipped Gust was the practical everyday form.

The name crested around 1923, near the tail of the great Scandinavian and German immigration, and faded as those cohorts assimilated and fuller names or English equivalents took over. A Gust today wears a sturdy, old-country name — a small monument to turn-of-the-century immigrant America.

Did you know? Gust was the everyday American form of Gustav, carried by Swedish, Norwegian and German immigrants around the turn of the twentieth century.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Gust — short form of Gustav/August; Scandinavian-German immigrant name

Variations

GustavGusAugust

Nicknames

GusGusty

Famous Bearers

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If you like Gust…

Gus— the closest everyday cousin, same Gustav/August root
August— the other name Gust shortens, shared immigrant use
Gustav— the fuller Scandinavian parent name
Axel— a same-era Scandinavian immigrant boys' name

Explore names like Gust

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gust mean?

Gust is a short form of Gustav ('staff of the gods') or August ('venerable'), brought by immigrants.

How do you pronounce Gust?

It's said GUST /ˈɡʌst/ — one syllable.

Is Gust a boy or girl name?

Gust is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Gust?

Gust was an uncommon immigrant-era name that crested in the early nineteen-twenties and faded as those families assimilated.

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