Cousteau: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Cousteau – Meaning: knife (likely denoting a knife-maker) – Origin: French – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: koo-STOH


Cousteau is a French boy's name meaning “knife (likely denoting a knife-maker)”. It appears in our list of 175+ Coastal Baby Names for Sea-Loving Families.

Meaning & Origin of Cousteau

Meaning: Knife (likely denoting a knife-maker).

Origin: French.

A common claim: Chosen for its association with ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, as if the name itself relates to the sea or exploration. Actually: The name has no connection to the ocean — it comes from an old word for 'knife.' Its nautical association comes entirely from the fame of one person who bore it.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Cousteau

Phonetic: koo-STOH   IPA: /kuːˈstoʊ/

Popularity of Cousteau

Cousteau doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Cousteau

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