Gustave is a French masculine given name. It originated from the Germanic element "Guth" which means "strong". The name became popular in France during the Middle Ages and has been used consistently since then.
The name Gustave was brought to prominence by two notable figures: French author Gustave Flaubert, known for his novel "Madame Bovary", and Swedish statesman Gustaf Vasa, who led a revolt against Denmark and became king of Sweden in 1523. These historical figures contributed to the enduring popularity of the name.
Gustave has several variant forms, including Gustave-Adolphe, Gustave-Henri, and Gustave-Jean. It also has numerous diminutives such as Gus, Guste, and Gusy.
In French-speaking countries, Gustave is considered a traditional and classic name. It has consistently ranked among the top 100 most popular boy names in France over the past century. Despite its popularity, Gustave remains relatively uncommon outside of francophone regions.
Overall, Gustave is a strong, historic, and culturally significant masculine given name with roots dating back to ancient Germanic times. Its enduring popularity in France and other French-speaking areas attests to its timeless appeal.
The name Gustave has seen a varied pattern of popularity over the years in the United States, with significant fluctuations in the number of births recorded each year.
From 1880 to 1922, there was a steady increase in the number of babies named Gustave. The peak was reached in 1915 with 152 births, followed by another peak in 1917 with 152 births as well. However, starting from 1923, the popularity of the name began to decline.
Between 1923 and 1946, the number of babies named Gustave hovered around 90-40 per year. Then, from 1947 onwards, the popularity of the name dropped significantly, with fewer than 40 births recorded each year.
Despite this decline in popularity, there have been periods where the name Gustave has seen a slight resurgence. For instance, between 2015 and 2022, there were 13 births recorded annually on average, showing that even today, some parents still choose to give their child this unique name.
In total, over the years from 1880 to 2022, there have been 5406 babies named Gustave in the United States. This data illustrates how tastes and trends can change significantly over time when it comes to baby naming.