The first name Bear
A boy’s name.
1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
* As an English surname, related to bear * As a German surname, spelling variant of Baer and Bahr
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 117 boys were named Bear, making it the 360th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 126 births (#342).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Bear with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Bear at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 286 boys born in the United States were named Bear, the 853rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 332 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Bear
2 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Bear McCrearyAmerican composer, born 1979
- Elizabeth BearAmerican writer, born 1971
Questions
- What does the name Bear mean?
- * As an English surname, related to bear * As a German surname, spelling variant of Baer and Bahr
- How popular is the name Bear?
- In 2025, 117 boys born in England and Wales were named Bear, ranking 360th. Its peak was 2022, with 126 births.
- Is Bear a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 3,356 US babies named Bear since 1880 were boys.
- When was Bear most popular?
- 2022 in the United States, when 332 babies were named Bear, its highest rank at 760th.
- Is Bear also a surname?
- Yes. Bear is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.