What does Perseus mean?
Perseus is the Greek hero who slew Medusa; his name is often linked to “to destroy.”
What does Cosmo mean?
Cosmo comes from the Greek kosmos, “order,” “harmony” or “universe.”
Perseus vs Cosmo
Which is more popular?
Perseus is more popular than Cosmo today: about 168 US babies were given the name Perseus in 2025, compared with 80 named Cosmo.
| Perseus | Cosmo | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of debated meaning | Order, universe |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | PUR-see-us | KOZ-moh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1983 | 1910 |
| Peak year | 2025 (168) | 2022 (99) |
| In 2025 | 168 | 80 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Perseus
Cosmo
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Perseus | Cosmo |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 813 | 510 |
| 2010s | 561 | 282 |
| 2000s | 5 | 254 |
| 1990s | 0 | 172 |
| 1980s | 11 | 108 |
| 1970s | 0 | 128 |
| 1960s | 0 | 121 |
| 1950s | 0 | 191 |
| 1940s | 0 | 191 |
| 1930s | 0 | 286 |
| 1920s | 0 | 452 |
| 1910s | 0 | 254 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Perseus or Cosmo more popular?
Perseus is more popular than Cosmo today: about 168 US babies were given the name Perseus in 2025, compared with 80 named Cosmo.
What is the difference between Perseus and Cosmo?
Perseus means Of debated meaning (Greek origin), while Cosmo means Order, universe (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Perseus or Cosmo?
In US records, Perseus first appears in 1983 and Cosmo in 1910, so Cosmo has the longer recorded history.