Magnus, meaning "great" in Latin, was used as cognomen in ancient Rome and a given name in the Middle Ages.

People

Ancient Romans

  • Pompey Magnus, Roman consul and general who was given the honorific "Magnus"
  • Magnus Maximus, Roman usurper and Western Roman Emperor (died 388)
  • Montius Magnus, 4th-century Roman quaestor

Given name

Kings of Norway

  • Magnus I of Norway (1024–1047)
  • Magnus II of Norway (1048–1069)
  • Magnus III of Norway (1073–1103)
  • Magnus IV of Norway (c. 1115–1139)
  • Magnus V of Norway (1156–1184)
  • Magnus VI of Norway (1238–1280)
  • Magnus VII of Norway, also known as Magnus Eriksson (1316–1374)

Kings of Sweden

  • Magnus the Strong (c. 1106–1134)
  • Magnus Henriksson (died 1161)
  • Magnus Ladulås (1240–1290)
  • Magnus Eriksson (1316–1374), also Magnus VII of Norway

Other kings

  • Géza I (1074–1077), also known by his baptismal name Magnus
  • Magnus the Good (1042–1047), also Magnus I of Norway
  • Magnus, Duke of Holstein (1540–1583), titular King of Livonia from 1570 to 1578
  • Magnús Óláfsson (died 1265), King of Mann and the Isles

Dukes

  • Magnus, Duke of Saxony (c. 1045–1106)
  • Magnus I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (before 1318–1369)
  • Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1324–1373), also known as Magnus with the Necklace
  • Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (1488–1543)

Saints

  • Albert Magnus (c.1200–1280), German bishop, philosopher, theologian and scientist
  • Magnus (bishop of Milan), bishop of Milan from 518 to c.530
  • Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, Earl of Orkney 1106–c.1117)
  • Magnus of Anagni (2nd century)
  • Magnus of Avignon (died 660), bishop and governor of Avignon
  • Magnus of Cuneo (3rd century)
  • Magnus of Füssen, missionary saint of southern Germany, seventh or eighth century

Family name

  • Magnus family, British Jewish
  • Magnus baronets
  • Philip Magnus, 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
  • Gilles Magnus (born 1999), Belgian racing driver
  • Heinrich Gustav Magnus, German chemist and physicist who discovered the Magnus effect
  • Kurt Magnus (1912–2003), German scientist, expert in the field of applied mechanics, a pioneer of mechatronics
  • Kurt Magnus (radio personality) (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, German mathematician

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 (born 1986)

Fictional characters

  • Magnus Bane, in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and character in the TV Series Shadowhunters
  • Magnus Burnsides, one of the main protagonists in The Adventure Zone Dungeons & Dragons 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, a villain in the 1977 Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang
  • Magnus Hammersmith, an antagonist in Metalocalypse
  • Magnus Murchie, Margaret's insane uncle and advisor in Muriel Spark's Symposium
  • 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, 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, 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 universe
  • Magnus the Sorcerer, 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
  • 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 universe
  • Will Magnus, 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
  • Magnus au Grimmus, a character in the Red Rising series
  • Ultra Magnus, 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)
  • Fidelio Magnus and Basilio Magnus, two paripus brothers from Metaphor: ReFantazio

See also

  • Magnes (disambiguation)
  • Magnusson (disambiguation)
  • List of people known as The Great

References