Gustaw
g(u)-staw,
gus-taw
Origin:Swedish
Other Origin(s):Norse, Scandinavian
Meaning:Staff of the Geats
Gustaw is a charming name derived from the Swedish Gustav and Gustaf. This refashioned Polish version has roots in Old Norse, coming from Gautstafr. It combines the elements gautr, meaning "Geat," and staff, meaning "staff," creating the meaning of "staff of the Geats." The Geats were a group of North Germanic settlers in Götaland in southern Sweden, who later became one of the major demographic groups in the country. In fact, these very people appear in the epic poem Beowulf, the oldest existing piece of English literature in the world. Speaking of surviving legacies, the late Gustaw Teofil Holoubek was a renowned actor, director, and politician in Poland.
On this page:
Sources
WordSense, Gustaw
Behind the Name, Gustav, April 2024
WordSense, Gustav
Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Gustav
WordSense, Geats
Britannica, Beowulf, Old English poem, March 2025
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