Bear

Bear - A very unique male name

Bear appeared on the charts for the first time in 2008 on position #2741. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Bear and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Bear? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Bear. The baby boy name Bear was given to 220 baby boys in 2025, ranking #893 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,665 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Bear peaked in popularity 4 years ago in 2022 on position 764.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Bear, 1-5?

Bear is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Bear is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #380 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #1,372.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Bear is where you live.

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Bear origin and meaning

English word name

'Bear' — the animal

Bear is the animal's name taken directly as a given name, a 21st-century nature word name that first registered in 2008. Adventurer Bear Grylls made the name imaginable for many parents, though he was born Edward and Bear began as his nickname. Use has climbed steadily to a 2022 peak and remains near it.

Attested etymology

Bear is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Bear, pop culture references for the name Bear and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Bear

We've found the following names that sound similar to Bear, sorted by popularity.

Barry / Briar / Berry / Bryer / Brewer / Bryar / Barrie / Bauer / Bray / Bora /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Bear

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Bear a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Bear?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

BAIR · /bɛər/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Famous bearers

• Bear Grylls — British adventurer and TV presenter, born Edward Michael Grylls and universally known by his nickname Bear (b. 1974) Contemporary

Style

Word nameNature

Why parents choose it

Parents want something rugged, warm, and a little wild — a name that sounds like a hug and a hike at once.

Worth knowing

• It began as a nickname, and some will treat it as one — expect 'is that his real name?'