Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Rom ...

in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor

Magnus Maximus Magnus Maximus (; died 28 August 388) was Roman emperor in the West from 383 to 388. He usurped the throne from emperor Gratian. Born in Gallaecia, he served as an officer in Britain under Theodosius the Elder during the Great Conspiracy ...

. The name gained wider popularity in the Middle Ages among various European peoples and their royal houses, being introduced to them upon being converted to the Latin-speaking Catholic Christianity. This was especially the case with

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n royalty and nobility. As a Scandinavian forename, it was extracted from the Frankish ruler

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

's Latin name "Carolus Magnus" and re-analyzed as

Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...

''magn-hús'' = "power house".

People

Given name

Kings of Hungary * Géza I (1074–1077), also known by his

baptismal name A Christian name, sometimes referred to as a baptismal name, is a religious name, religious personal personal name, name given on the occasion of a Christian baptism, though now most often given by parents at birth. In Anglosphere, English-spe ...

Magnus

Kings of Denmark

Magnus the Good Magnus Olafsson (; Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus Olavsson''; – 25 October 1047), better known as Magnus the Good (; Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus den gode''), was King of Norway from 1035 and King of Denmark from 1042 until his death in ...

(1042–1047), also Magnus I of Norway

King of Livonia

Magnus, Duke of Holstein Magnus of Denmark or Magnus of Holstein ( – ) was a Prince of Denmark, Duke of Holstein, and a member of the House of Oldenburg. As a vassal of Tsar Ivan IV of Russia, he was the titular King of Livonia from 1570 to 1578. Early life Duke Magn ...

(1540–1583)

King of Mann and the Isles

* Magnús Óláfsson (died 1265)

Kings of Norway

Magnus I of Norway Magnus Olafsson (; Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus Olavsson''; – 25 October 1047), better known as Magnus the Good (; Norwegian and Danish: ''Magnus den gode''), was King of Norway from 1035 and King of Denmark from 1042 until his death in ...

(1024–1047) * Magnus II of Norway (1048–1069) *

Magnus III of Norway Magnus III Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Olavsson''; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: ''Magnús berfœttr'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Berrføtt''), was the King of Norway ...

(1073–1103) *

Magnus IV of Norway Magnus Sigurdsson ( – 12 November 1139), also known as Magnus the Blind and Magnus IV, was King of Norway from 1130 to 1135 and again from 1137 to 1139. His period as king marked the beginning of the civil war era in Norway, which lasted until ...

(c. 1115–1139) *

Magnus V of Norway Magnus Erlingsson (, 1156 – 15 June 1184), also known as Magnus V, was a king of Norway during the civil war era in Norway. He helped to establish primogeniture in royal succession in Norway. King Magnus was killed in the Battle of Fimreite in ...

(1156–1184) *

Magnus VI of Norway Magnus the Lawmender (1 or 3 May 1238 – 9 May 1280), also known as Magnus Haakonsson, was King of Norway from 1263 to 1280. One of his greatest achievements was the modernisation and nationalisation of the Norwegian law-code. He was the first ...

(1238–1280) * Magnus VII of Norway, also known as

Magnus Eriksson Magnus Eriksson (April or May 1316 – 1 December 1374) was King of Sweden from 1319 to 1364, King of Norway as Magnus VII from 1319 to 1355, and ruler of Scania from 1332 to 1360. By adversaries he has been called ''Magnus Smek'' (). Medi ...

(1316–1374)

Kings of Sweden

Magnus the Strong Magnus the Strong (c. 1106 – 4 June 1134), also known as Magnus Nilsson ( Bricka, Carl Frederik, ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. XI aar – Müllner 1897, pp.45Available online/ref>), was a Danish duke who ruled Götaland in southern Sweden ...

(c. 1106–1134) * Magnus Henriksson (died 1161) *

Magnus Ladulås Magnus Ladulås (, ) or Magnus Birgersson ( 1240 – 18 December 1290) was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290. He was a son of Birger Jarl, and became a king after a rebellion against his brother Valdemar, King of Sweden ...

(1240–1290) *

(1316–1374), also Magnus VII of Norway

Dukes

Magnus, Duke of Saxony Magnus ( – 23 August 1106) was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the House of Billung. Rebellion In 1070, before he was duke, he joined Otto of Nordhe ...

(c. 1045–1106) *

Magnus the Pious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...

(before 1318–1369) *

Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Magnus (c. 1324 – 25 July 1373), called Magnus with the Necklace () or Magnus II, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, ruling the Brunswick-Lüneburg principalities of Wolfenbüttel (colloquially also called Brunswick) and, temporarily, Lüneburg. ...

(1324–1373), also known as Magnus with the Necklace *

Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg Magnus I of Saxe-Lauenburg (1 January 1470 – 1 August 1543) was a Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg from the House of Ascania. Life Magnus was born in Ratzeburg, the second son of John V, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg and Dorothea of Brandenburg, daughter of ...

(1488–1543)

Saints

Albert Magnus Albertus Magnus ( 1200 – 15 November 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great, Albert of Swabia, Albert von Bollstadt, or Albert of Cologne, was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop, considered one of the great ...

(c.1200–1280), German bishop, philosopher, theologian and scientist *

Magnus (bishop of Milan) Magnus () was Archbishop of Milan from 518 to c. 530. He is honoured as a saint in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church. Life Almost nothing is known about the life and the episcopate of Magnus. Magnus lived under the Arian king Theodoric th ...

, bishop of Milan from 518 to c.530 *

Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, sometimes known as Magnus the Martyr, was Earl of Orkney from 1106 to about 1117. Magnus's grandparents, Thorfinn the Mighty, Jarl of Orkney and his wife Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, had two sons, Erlend an ...

, Earl of Orkney 1106–c.1117) *

Magnus of Anagni Saint Magnus of Anagni (; born 2nd century), also known as Magnus of Trani or Magnus of Fabrateria Vetus, is venerated as the patron saint of Anagni. Traditional narrative According to tradition, he was born in Trani in the 2nd century, the son ...

(2nd century) *

Magnus of Avignon Saint Magnus of Avignon () (died 660) was a bishop and governor of Avignon, his native city. He was a Gallo-Roman senator. A widower, he was the father of Saint Agricola of Avignon. Magnus became a monk and then became bishop of Avignon. He app ...

(died 660), bishop and governor of Avignon *

Magnus of Cuneo Magnus of Cuneo () is venerated as a martyr and member of the legendary Theban Legion. The center of his cult is situated at the mountain sanctuary known as the Santuario di San Magno, in the Valle Grana, Castelmagno, in the province of Cuneo. Hi ...

(3rd century) *

Magnus of Füssen Magnus of Füssen, otherwise Magnoald or Mang, was a missionary saint in southern Germany, also known as the Apostle of the Allgäu. He is believed to have been a contemporary either of Gall (died 627) or of Boniface (died 754) and is venerated as ...

, missionary saint of southern Germany, seventh or eighth century

Family name

*Magnus family, British Jewish ** Magnus baronets ***

Philip Magnus Sir Philip Magnus, 1st Baronet (7 October 1842 – 29 August 1933) was an England, English educational reformer, rabbi, and politician, who represented the London University (UK Parliament constituency), London University constituency as a Li ...

, 1st Baronet *** Philip Magnus (historian), 2nd Baronet (1906–1988), British historian *** Laurie Magnus (executive), 3rd Baronet (born 1955), British executive, appointed UK Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests in 2022 *** Laurie Magnus (1872–1933), English author, journalist, and publisher ** Katie Magnus, author and communal worker, wife of Philip Magnus, 1st Baronet ** Leonard Arthur Magnus, scholar and translator, son of Philip Magnus, 1st Baronet * Ailsa Magnus (born 1967), Scottish sculptor * Désiré Magnus, Belgian pianist * Elisabeth von Magnus, Austrian singer * Finn Magnus, Danish-American founder of Magnus Harmonica Corporation *

Heinrich Gustav Magnus Heinrich Gustav Magnus (; 2 May 1802 – 4 April 1870) was a German experimental scientist. His training was mostly in chemistry but his later research was mostly in physics. He spent the great bulk of his career at the University of Berlin, wher ...

, German chemist and physicist who discovered the Magnus effect *

Kurt Magnus Kurt Magnus (September 8, 1912 - December 12, 2003) was a German scientist, expert in the field of applied mechanics, a pioneer of mechatronics, modern navigation technology and inertial sensors.Kurt Magnus (radio personality) Kurt Magnus (March 28, 1887 – June 20, 1962) was a German lawyer and politician, best known as a pioneer in establishing radio broadcasting in Germany.

(1887–1962), German lawyer and politician, a pioneer of German radio broadcasting * Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, German mathematician * Paul Wilhelm Magnus, German botanist * Siobhan Magnus, American singer * Thomas Magnus (d. 1550), English churchman and diplomat *

Wilhelm Magnus Hans Heinrich Wilhelm Magnus, known as Wilhelm Magnus (5 February 1907 in Berlin, Germany – 15 October 1990 in New Rochelle, New York), was a German-American mathematician. He made important contributions in combinatorial group theory, Lie algeb ...

, German mathematician

Ancient Romans

Pompey Magnus Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. ...

, Roman consul and general who was given the honorific "Magnus" *

, Roman usurper and Western Roman Emperor (died 388) * Montius Magnus, 4th-century Roman quaestor

Pseudonyms, pen names and ring names

* Magnus, pseudonym of American magician Jeff McBride * Magnus, pen name of Italian comic book artist Roberto Raviola * Magnus (formerly Brutus Magnus), ring name of English professional wrestler

Nick Aldis Nicholas Harry Aldis (born 6 November 1986) is an English professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he is a producer and the on-screen general manager of the SmackDown brand. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wres ...

(born 1986)

Fictional characters

Magnus Bane This is a list of the main characters from ''The Mortal Instruments'' series by Cassandra Clare, including the novels ''City of Bones (Mortal Instruments), City of Bones'', ''City of Ashes'', ''City of Glass (Clare novel), City of Glass'', ''City ...

, in ''The Mortal Instruments'' series by Cassandra Clare, and character in the TV Series

Shadowhunters ''Shadowhunters'', also known as ''Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments'', is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Ed Decter, based on the novel series ''The Mortal Instruments'' written by Cassandra Clare. It premie ...

* Magnus Burnsides, one of the main protagonists in

The Adventure Zone ''The Adventure Zone'' is a weekly comedy and adventure actual play podcast, in which the McElroy family play ''Dungeons & Dragons'' along with other role-playing games. The show is distributed by the Maximum Fun network and hosted by brother ...

Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...

podcast * Magnus Chase, the main protagonist in the fantasy series Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard * Magnus Eisengrim, in the ''Deptford Trilogy'' * Magnus Gallant, a main character in ''Ogre Battle 64'' *

Magnus Greel ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang'' is the sixth and final serial of the Doctor Who (season 14), 14th season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in six weekly parts on BBC1 from 26 February to 2 Ap ...

, a villain in the 1977 ''Doctor Who'' serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang * Magnus Hammersmith, an antagonist in ''

Metalocalypse ''Metalocalypse'' is an American Musical film, musical adult animated television series created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha for Adult Swim. It premiered on August 6, 2006. The television program centers on the larger-than-life melodic deat ...

'' *Magnus Murchie, Margaret's insane uncle and advisor in Muriel Spark's ''

Symposium In Ancient Greece, the symposium (, ''sympósion'', from συμπίνειν, ''sympínein'', 'to drink together') was the part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, o ...

'' * Magnus Pym, the protagonist of John le Carré's novel '' A Perfect Spy'' * Magnus Powermouse, the title character of the children's book of the same name *

Magnus, Robot Fighter Magnus, Robot Fighter is a fictional superhero who battles rogue robots in the year 4000, appearing in comic books created by writer/artist Russ Manning in 1963.Steve Holland, ''Sci-Fi Art: A Graphic History''. Lewes: ILEX, 2009. . .pp. 102–1 ...

, a comic book character published by Gold Key and Valiant comics * Magnus von Grapple, a boss in '' Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' * Magnus (The Vampire Chronicles), in ''The Vampire Chronicles'' by Anne Rice * Magnus, the real name of the ''Doctor Who'' character the Master *

Ultra Magnus Ultra Magnus is a fictional character from the ''Transformers'' franchise. Ultra Magnus is based on the Diaclone figure Powered Convoy, which is a modified version of the preexisting Battle Convoy figure. He is usually depicted as a car carrie ...

, several characters in the ''Transformers'' universe * Magnus Lehnsherr, an alternate reality Marvel Comics character; son of Rogue and Magneto * Magnus the Red, Primarch of the Thousand Sons Space Marines in the

Warhammer 40,000 ''Warhammer 40,000'' is a miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop. It is the most popular miniature wargame in the world, and is particularly popular in the United Kingdom. The first edition of the rulebook was published in September 1987 ...

universe *

Magnus the Sorcerer M-11 M-11 is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was named "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first ...

, a Marvel Universe character * Magnus, in the video game '' Kid Icarus: Uprising'' * Magnus Fossbakken, in the Norwegian TV show '' Skam'' * Magnus Nielsen, a character from the TV series

Dark Darkness is the condition resulting from a lack of illumination, or an absence of visible light. Human vision is unable to distinguish colors in conditions of very low luminance because the hue-sensitive photoreceptor cells on the retina are ...

* Magnus the Rogue, a supporting character in the video game '' Minecraft Story Mode'' * Magnus, the mascot of the Cleveland State Vikings * Magnus, the god of magic from ''

The Elder Scrolls ''The Elder Scrolls'' is a series of action role-playing games, action role-playing video games primarily developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. The series focuses on Nonlinear gameplay, free-form gameplay in an ...

'' universe *

Will Magnus Doctor William Maxwell "Will" Magnus is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A brilliant scientist who occasionally suffers from debilitating mental illness, he is responsible for creating the Metal Men a ...

, a DC Comics scientist * Count Magnus, title character in the M.R. James story *Jonah Magnus, founder of the titular institute in the horror fiction podcast ''

The Magnus Archives ''The Magnus Archives'' is a supernatural horror Podcast#Fiction_podcast, fiction podcast written by Jonathan Sims, directed by Alexander J. Newall, and distributed by Rusty Quill. Sims starred as the Head Archivist for the fictional Magnus Ins ...

'' * Magnus au Grimmus, a character in the '' Red Rising'' series *

, a supporting character in '' Transformers: Animated'', in which "magnus" is a high rank amongst Autobots; he also appears in '' Transformers: Prime'' * Magnus Honey, Miss Honey's dad in

Matilda (novel) ''Matilda'' is a 1988 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was published by Jonathan Cape. The story features Matilda Wormwood, a precocious child with an uncaring mother and father, and her time in a school run by the tyrannical ...

References

{{Given name, type=both Masculine given names German masculine given names Latin masculine given names Norwegian masculine given names Swedish masculine given names Estonian masculine given names