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    The first name Meyer

    A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “leaseholder of a manor”.

    Pronounced /ˈmaɪə(ɹ)/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Meyer means “leaseholder of a manor” in Hebrew.

    * As a German and Alemannic German surname, from the noun Meier (“leaseholder of a manor”). Compare Maier, Mayer, Meier, Myer. * As a Jewish surname, from Yiddish מאיר (mir). Compare Majer, Major, Mayor, Meir. * As a Dutch/West Flemish surname, variant of Meijer.

    A form of Meir.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Meyer last appeared in the official list in 2022, given to 4 boys. It peaked in 1998, with 4 births (#2,419).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    22
    babies named Meyer, 1996–2025
    #4,001
    rank in 2022
    1998
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Meyer with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Meyer at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 97 boys born in the United States were named Meyer, the 1,693rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1917, when 214 were.

    0150300 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    5,612
    babies named Meyer since 1880
    #1,693
    rank in 2025
    1917
    peak year

    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 Meyer

    12 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Meyer Lansky
      American gangster, 1902–1983
    • Meyer Guggenheim
      American businessperson (1828–1905)
    • Meyer Schapiro
      American historian of art (1904–1996)
    • Meyer Levin
      American journalist (1905–1981)
    • Meyer London
      American politician (1871–1926)
    • Meyer Dolinsky
      American screenwriter, author and radio scriptwriter (1923-1984)
    • M. H. Abrams
      American literary theorist (1912–2015)
    • Marcel Bluwal
      French film director and screenwriter (1925–2021)
    • Kenneth Setton
      American medieval historian (1914–1995)
    • Horace Kallen
      American philosopher (1882–1974)
    • Eugène Bloch
      French physicist (1878-1944)
    • Nathaniel Anselm von Rothschild
      Austrian noble (1836-1905)

    More Hebrew boys’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Meyer mean?
    Meyer means “leaseholder of a manor” in Hebrew.
    What is the origin of the name Meyer?
    * As a German and Alemannic German surname, from the noun Meier (“leaseholder of a manor”). Compare Maier, Mayer, Meier, Myer. * As a Jewish surname, from Yiddish מאיר (mir). Compare Majer, Major, Mayor, Meir. * As a Dutch/West Flemish surname, variant of Meijer.
    How popular is the name Meyer?
    In 2022, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Meyer, ranking 4,001st. Its peak was 1998, with 4 births.
    Is Meyer a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 96% of the 5,612 US babies named Meyer since 1880 were boys.
    When was Meyer most popular?
    1917 in the United States, when 214 babies were named Meyer, its highest rank at 385th.
    How do you pronounce Meyer?
    Meyer is /ˈmaɪə(ɹ)/, 2 syllables.
    What name is Meyer a form of?
    Meyer is a form of Meir.
    Is Meyer also a surname?
    Yes. Meyer is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.