Fun Facts About the Name Whitaker
- 858 babies named Whitaker: U.S. records list 858 babies given the name Whitaker from 1880 through 2025. Even 11 girls received the name Whitaker - about 1 girl for every 77 boys.
What Does the Name Whitaker Mean?
Whitaker is an English name meaning 'white field' or 'white acre.' It comes from the Old English elements hwīt, 'white,' and æcer, 'field' or 'cultivated land' (the source of modern English acre). The name is a habitational surname: it originally identified someone who lived at or came from a place called Whitaker, Whitacre, or Whiteacre. Such places are found in Lancashire, Warwickshire, and Kent. The 'white' element likely referred to the appearance of the soil or vegetation, though the exact reason for any individual place name is not certain. As a given name, Whitaker is a transferred use of the surname rather than an ancient personal name.
Whitaker Name History & Origins
The surname Whitaker developed in medieval England from place names. Old English hwīt + æcer produced place-name forms such as Whitacre and Whiteacre, and the Lancashire place name Whitaker gave rise to the surname spelled with one t. Surnames of this kind became hereditary in the later Middle Ages, when families began to pass down a name taken from their home village or estate. The surname is traditionally associated with Lancashire and Yorkshire, and both Whitaker and Whittaker spellings are found in English records. As a first name, Whitaker is a transferred surname used in English-speaking countries; it is far more common as a family name than as a given name. A notable later bearer of the surname form was the American writer Whittaker Chambers, whose use of Whittaker as a first name reflects the same surname-to-given-name pattern.
How Popular is the Name Whitaker?
Whitaker 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 2025. Its best rank was #2,181 in 2025.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #15,179 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #19,071 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,181 | 66 | 0.0039% |
| 2024 | #2,253 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 2023 | #2,689 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 2022 | #2,711 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2021 | #2,220 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 2020 | #2,615 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2019 | #2,522 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 2018 | #2,746 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 2017 | #2,313 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2016 | #2,659 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2015 | #3,143 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2014 | #3,296 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2013 | #4,306 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2012 | #5,237 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #5,191 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #5,465 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #3,397 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2008 | #5,239 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #5,424 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #10,606 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #8,264 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #8,885 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #8,604 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #7,615 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #8,177 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #8,670 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #9,598 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #9,222 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,398 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #9,186 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1983 | #7,310 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #4,190 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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 Whitaker Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
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.
✦ Whitaker's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Whitaker's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.