seven reflections
Login
Meyer Name Meaning, Origins & History

Meyer

Pronunciation: MY-er

Meaning Farmer Origin Hebrew Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#1,693
TREND
132
GIRLS RANK
#11,582
TREND
5,285
Peak Years
1917, 1916, 1915
Lowest Years
1887, 1882, 1885
Energy Archetype
Hardworking & Dutiful

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Meyer in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Meyer

  • More than 5 thousand babies named Meyer: U.S. records list 5,609 babies given the name Meyer from 1880 through 2025. Even 208 girls received the name Meyer - about 1 girl for every 26 boys.

What Does the Name Meyer Mean?

Meyer is a masculine given name used in English-speaking countries chiefly as a transferred surname and as a Jewish name. Its German source is the Middle High German meier, meaning steward, bailiff, or tenant farmer - an estate official whose title is usually traced to Old High German meior and Latin maior, greater or superior. In Jewish use, Meyer is a Yiddish form of the Hebrew name Meir (מֵאִיר), from the root or (אוֹר), light; it means one who gives light or one who illuminates. These two origins are unrelated, though the identical spelling has linked them in name dictionaries.

Meyer Name History & Origins

The German surname Meyer, along with variants such as Meier, Maier, Mayer, and Mayr, began as an occupational name for the manager of a manor or estate. The title appears in medieval German records, and the surname spread throughout German-speaking lands. In the English-speaking world, Meyer entered given-name use mainly as a transferred family name, a pattern common for surnames adopted as first names. German immigrants and their descendants also used it as a first name.

The Jewish given name Meyer developed separately from the Hebrew name Meir. Rabbi Meir was a second-century sage whose teachings are recorded in the Mishnah and Talmud, and the name Meir remained in use in Jewish communities. In Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi communities, Meir was pronounced and written Meyer, and it was used as a personal name in Central and Eastern Europe. Jewish immigrants to the United States brought the name with them, where it served as both a first name and a surname. The German and Hebrew names are distinct in origin, but their shared spelling caused them to be treated together in later reference works.

How Popular is the Name Meyer?

Meyer recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1917. Its best rank was #301 in 1912.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore More Lists with Name Meyer

Most Popular Boy Names That Start with M

See List of Most Popular Boy Names Starting with M

Unique Short Boy Names That Start with M

Discover Popular Boy Names Starting with M

How the Name Meyer Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Meyer's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Meyer's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
Explore Insights & Tips

Name Search