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    The first name Columbus

    A boy’s name from Latin meaning “a dove”.

    Pronounced /kəˈlʌmbəs/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    Columbus means “a dove” in Latin.

    From Latin columbus (“a dove”). Doublet of Colombo. The common noun and verb are references to the Italian explorer.

    More names that mean bird.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Columbus last appeared in the official list in 2001, given to 3 boys.

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    3
    babies named Columbus, 1996–2025
    #3,134
    rank in 2001
    2001
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Columbus with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Columbus at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2023, 5 boys born in the United States were named Columbus, the 12,580th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1922, when 187 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    7,517
    babies named Columbus since 1880
    #12,580
    rank in 2023
    1922
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Columbus in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    哥倫布 /哥伦布
    Gēlúnbù
    Chinese
    Κολόμβος
    Kolómvos
    Greek
    Kolumb
    Polish
    Колу́мбус
    Kolúmbus
    Russian
    Colombo
    Italian

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Columbus

    • Lum

    Famous people named Columbus

    3 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Columbus Short
      American choreographer, born 1982
    • Columbus Delano
      American politician (1809-1896)
    • Christopher C. Kraft
      American aerospace engineer (1924–2019)

    More Latin boys’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Columbus mean?
    Columbus means “a dove” in Latin.
    What is the origin of the name Columbus?
    From Latin columbus (“a dove”). Doublet of Colombo. The common noun and verb are references to the Italian explorer.
    How popular is the name Columbus?
    In 2001, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Columbus, ranking 3,134th.
    What are nicknames for Columbus?
    Common nicknames for Columbus include Lum.
    Is Columbus a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 7,517 US babies named Columbus since 1880 were boys.
    When was Columbus most popular?
    1922 in the United States, when 187 babies were named Columbus, its highest rank at 447th.
    How do you pronounce Columbus?
    Columbus is /kəˈlʌmbəs/, 3 syllables.
    Is Columbus also a surname?
    Yes. Columbus is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.