name
Common
Hugh
hyoo
Hugh (name) means a male given name of Germanic origin, also used as a surname. Example: “Hugh Jackman is known for playing Wolverine in several films.”
name
1
A male given name of Germanic origin, also used as a surname.
""To be frank, at first I thought it was a joke," Hugh Hurwitz, who served as acting director of the BOP between May 2018 and August 2019, told the BBC."
— Bernd Debusmann Jr, Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz as a prison - could it happen? (2025)
"Hugh Jackman is known for playing Wolverine in several films."
"Hugh McAnally was universally known as "Wee Shug". He didn't know why people called Hugh always ended up nicknamed Shug."
— Ian Rankin, Let It Bleed (1996)
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_____ Jackman is known for playing Wolverine in several films.
Etymology
From the Old French name Hughe, brought to England by the Normans, from Proto-Germanic *hugiz ("heart, mind").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Hugh
See all rhymes for Hugh →Frequently asked questions
What does “Hugh” mean?
The word “Hugh” means a male given name of Germanic origin, also used as a surname.
How do you pronounce “Hugh”?
“Hugh” is pronounced hyoo (/hjuː/ in IPA).
How do you use “Hugh” in a sentence?
Here is “Hugh” used in a sentence: “Hugh Jackman is known for playing Wolverine in several films.”
What part of speech is “Hugh”?
“Hugh” is a name.
Where does the word “Hugh” come from?
The word “Hugh” comes from Old French. From the Old French name Hughe, brought to England by the Normans, from Proto-Germanic *hugiz ("heart, mind").
Is “Hugh” a common word?
“Hugh” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between Hugh, hue, and hew?
All three sound the same but mean different things: Hugh is a male given name, hue is a noun meaning a color or shade, and hew is a verb meaning to chop or cut, as in "hew wood." Only Hugh takes a capital letter in ordinary use.
What are common nicknames for Hugh?
The usual affectionate forms of Hugh are Hughie and Huey. The related name Hugo is not a nickname but a separate, Latin-influenced form of the same Germanic name.
Is Hugh a first name or a surname?
Hugh is primarily a masculine given name of Germanic origin, but it also occurs as a surname. It additionally underlies common family names such as Hughes, which developed with the sense "son of Hugh."
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