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The short answer
Bo is a masculine name used in Swedish and Danish. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Old Norse byname Búi, which was derived from Old Norse bua meaning ‘to live’." It ranked #449 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Old Norse byname Búi, which was derived from Old Norse bua meaning ‘to live’. The entry lists its usage as Swedish, Danish.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Bo ranked #449 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #449 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Swedish) and that sit near Bo in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bo mean?
Bo means "to live", according to Behind the Name.
Is Bo a popular name?
Bo ranked #449 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Bo a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Bo appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Bo (1) — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
