Meir

Meir - A very unique male name

Meir appeared on the charts for the first time in 1958 on position #1697. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Meir and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Meir? 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 Meir. The baby boy name Meir was given to 233 baby boys in 2025, ranking #862 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,293 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Meir peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 862.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Meir, 1-5?

Meir is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Meir is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #105 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,655.

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 Meir is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Meir origin and meaning

Hebrew

From Hebrew me'ir, 'one who shines, who gives light'

Meir is a Hebrew name borne by one of the great sages of the Mishnah, Rabbi Meir, and it has been in continuous Jewish use ever since — in the US data since 1958, and at its highest point in 2025. It is short, luminous in meaning, and almost always chosen inside Jewish families, often for a grandfather of the same name.

Attested etymology

Meir is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Meir

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

Mario / Murray / Monroe / Mary / Mauro / Meyer / Maria / Mayer / Murry / Mahir /

---

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 Meir

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 Meir 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 Meir?

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.

---

Pronunciation

meh-EER · /mɛˈɪər/
In Hebrew the name has two syllables (meh-EER) and is also heard as one (mayr); the provided syllable count for this name is 1, matching the compressed English form

Around the world

• Meir (Hebrew) — Used as-is in Hebrew

Spellings and nicknames

• Mayer — A related surname-form spelling
• Meier — Occasional German-influenced spelling

Famous bearers

• Rabbi Meir — Second-century sage of the Mishnah, one of its most-cited teachers (2nd century) Historical
• Meir Kahane — Rabbi and Israeli politician, founder of the Jewish Defense League (1932–1990) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Meir is chosen for its light-filled meaning and its unbroken line back to the sages — a name of heritage in a single syllable or two.

Worth knowing

• Outside Jewish communities it will be misread as 'Meyer' or 'Mayor' and mispronounced
• Golda Meir is a surname bearer, not a bearer of this given name — the association may still confuse people