What does Magnus mean?
Magnus comes from the Latin for “great,” long popular across Scandinavia.
What does Bjorn mean?
Bjorn means “bear” in Old Norse, a symbol of strength.
Magnus vs Bjorn
Which is more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Bjorn today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 298 named Bjorn.
| Magnus | Bjorn | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Great | Bear |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MAG-nus | BYORN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1890 | 1925 |
| Peak year | 2021 (354) | 2024 (331) |
| In 2025 | 337 | 298 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Magnus
Bjorn
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Magnus | Bjorn |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,989 | 1,895 |
| 2010s | 2,389 | 1,229 |
| 2000s | 1,028 | 550 |
| 1990s | 212 | 403 |
| 1980s | 74 | 598 |
| 1970s | 30 | 397 |
| 1960s | 18 | 145 |
| 1950s | 39 | 28 |
| 1940s | 23 | 5 |
| 1930s | 66 | 0 |
| 1920s | 132 | 5 |
| 1910s | 122 | 0 |
| 1900s | 29 | 0 |
| 1890s | 21 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Magnus or Bjorn more popular?
Magnus is more popular than Bjorn today: about 337 US babies were given the name Magnus in 2025, compared with 298 named Bjorn.
What is the difference between Magnus and Bjorn?
Magnus means Great (Norse origin), while Bjorn means Bear (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Magnus or Bjorn?
In US records, Magnus first appears in 1890 and Bjorn in 1925, so Magnus has the longer recorded history.