Palmer

Palmer - A very unique male name

Palmer appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #555. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Palmer and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Palmer? 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 Palmer. The baby boy name Palmer was given to 188 baby boys in 2025, ranking #983 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 7,799 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Palmer peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 473.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Palmer, 1-5?

Palmer is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Palmer is currently topping the baby name charts in Mississippi at position #596 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,973.

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 Palmer is where you live.

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Palmer origin and meaning

Transferred surname (English)

An English occupational surname — a palmer was a pilgrim who carried a palm frond back from the Holy Land, from Old French palmier

Palmer began as the name for a pilgrim: medieval pilgrims to Jerusalem carried palm fronds, and 'palmer' became both a word for them and a surname. As a first name it has been recorded in the US since 1911, mostly quietly, and has risen in the recent surname-name wave to its highest point in 2023. It is also rising for girls, but this profile is the (still larger) boy use.

Attested etymology

Palmer is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Palmer

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

Plummer /

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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 Palmer

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 Palmer 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 Palmer?

2 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

PAHL-mer · /ˈpɑːlmər/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Palmers — A rare plural-looking variant

Famous bearers

• Palmer Luckey — American entrepreneur, founder of Oculus VR and Anduril Industries (b. 1992) Contemporary

Style

SurnameOccupational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Palmer for its preppy, country-club surname style — polished, outdoorsy and uncommon. It fits the current taste for gentle surname names for boys.

Worth knowing

• Arnold Palmer carries it as a surname — most people know Palmer as a surname first
• Also rising for girls, so it is becoming more unisex