Hugo

Hugo is the Latinized form of the name Hugh and was used in the Middle Ages as the official written form. Hugh has Frankish (Germanic) roots and comes from the Old French “Hugues” derived from “hug” meaning ‘heart, mind, spirit’. Hugh/Hugo was adopted by the aristocracy of medieval France no doubt due to the name’s favorable meaning, i.e., an intelligent person, or one who is bright in heart, mind and spirit. The French introduced the name to Britain via the Normans after the conquest of 1066. Hugh became a Top 10 most consistently used name in medieval England and was also often used as an anglicized version of the Gaelic “Aodh” (the ancient name which gave us Aidan and means “fire”). Saint Hugh of Lincoln (12th century) and Little Saint Hugh of Lincoln (13th century) were two well-known English saints of the Middle Ages and served to further cement the name’s popularity (see historical figures below for more information). Victor Hugo was a 19th century French author who produced two great works of literature: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Les Misérables”. Hugo has not enjoyed the same level of success historically among English speakers as Hugh, but it did experience a revival in the 19th century. In modern times, however, Hugo has become the far more favored choice throughout Europe. Today the name ranks on the Top 10 in Spain, Sweden and France. It is a Top 25 most favored male name in Catalonia and Belgium, and it is ranked on the Top 100 in Holland and Australia.