Fun Facts About the Name Thayer
- More than 1 thousand babies named Thayer: U.S. records list 1,437 babies given the name Thayer from 1880 through 2025. Even 79 girls received the name Thayer - about 1 girl for every 17 boys.
What Does the Name Thayer Mean?
Thayer is an English occupational name for a leather dresser. It comes from Middle English taw(i)er, the agent form of tawen, "to prepare or dress leather," which goes back to Old English tawian, "to prepare, make ready." A tawer treated hides, especially by tawing them with alum and other agents to make soft white leather. The literal sense is therefore a person who taws leather, not a personality trait or a symbolic quality.
Thayer Name History & Origins
Thayer began as an English surname rather than as a hereditary given name. In medieval England, occupational bynames identified people by their work, and a taw(i)er was a leatherworker; such bynames became fixed and inherited in the later Middle Ages. The surname is chiefly associated with Dorset, England, and its modern spelling is an English development of the occupational term.
As a first name, Thayer is a transferred use of the surname. It has no separate medieval given-name history of its own; its use as a personal name follows the surname's establishment and its later adoption in English-speaking countries.
How Popular is the Name Thayer?
Thayer has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2014. Its best rank was #1,987 in 1918.
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.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | #13,672 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #15,754 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #13,737 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #15,195 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #13,107 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #12,695 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #10,312 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #9,648 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #10,771 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #6,507 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #7,449 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1947 | #6,050 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #5,631 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1936 | #4,795 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,106 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #4,538 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2023 | #5,040 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #4,996 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #3,988 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2020 | #5,670 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #2,654 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2018 | #2,884 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 2017 | #2,709 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 2016 | #2,721 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #2,455 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 2014 | #2,458 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 2013 | #2,709 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2012 | #3,166 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2011 | #4,804 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2010 | #5,226 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #6,054 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #7,142 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #5,643 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #6,421 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #5,254 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #7,468 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #6,674 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #5,369 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #5,976 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #4,762 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #5,006 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,259 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #5,613 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #4,852 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #4,485 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #4,070 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #5,322 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #4,836 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #5,475 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #3,158 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1989 | #3,792 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #4,747 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #4,922 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #7,720 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #6,459 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #3,439 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #4,864 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #7,278 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #4,464 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #3,820 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #5,313 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #4,133 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #6,415 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #4,275 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #4,587 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,025 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #3,138 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #4,866 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #3,053 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #2,671 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #4,102 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #3,209 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #2,768 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #2,462 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #3,572 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #2,401 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #3,022 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #3,628 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #3,902 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #3,002 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #3,509 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #4,315 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #3,767 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #3,043 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #3,290 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #4,152 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #2,986 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #2,524 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #2,844 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #3,993 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #2,693 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,855 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,844 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #3,453 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,631 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #3,509 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #3,232 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #3,247 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #2,718 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1931 | #3,719 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #3,263 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #2,443 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1927 | #4,734 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #3,118 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #3,373 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1924 | #2,622 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #4,817 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #2,988 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1921 | #3,480 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #2,940 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #2,647 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1918 | #1,987 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1917 | #2,712 | 10 | 0.0011% |
| 1916 | #2,907 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #3,044 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1914 | #3,709 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #2,251 | 8 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #2,511 | 6 | 0.0014% |
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.
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How the Name Thayer Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Thayer's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Thayer's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.