The first name Seymour
A boy’s name meaning “saint maurus”.
Pronounced /ˈsiːmɔː(ɹ)/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Seymour means “saint maurus”.
From a Norman surname from a place in Normandy, from Old French Saint-Maur, from Late Latin Sanctus Maurus (“Saint Maurus”). The name is cognate to Murry and Maurice.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Seymour last appeared in the official list in 2004, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1998, with 3 births (#2,901).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Seymour with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Seymour at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 11 boys born in the United States were named Seymour, the 7,594th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 786 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 Seymour
23 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Philip Seymour HoffmanAmerican actor (1967–2014)
- Julian Seymour SchwingerAmerican theoretical physicist (1918–1994)
- Seymour CrayApplied mathematician, computer scientist, and electrical engineer (1925–1996)
- Seymour HershAmerican investigative journalist (born 1937)
- Seymour Martin LipsetAmerican sociologist (1922–2006)
- Seymour CasselAmerican actor (1935–2019)
- Seymour BenzerAmerican geneticist (1921–2007)
- Seymour HicksBritish actor (1871–1949)
- Seymour SteinAmerican music executive (1942–2023)
- Seymour CromwellAmerican rower (1934-1977)
- Seymour BernsteinAmerican pianist, composer, and teacher (1927-2026)
- Seymour NebenzalFilm producer (1899–1961)
Questions
- What does the name Seymour mean?
- Seymour means “saint maurus”.
- How popular is the name Seymour?
- In 2004, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Seymour, ranking 3,651st. Its peak was 1998, with 3 births.
- Is Seymour a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 13,122 US babies named Seymour since 1880 were boys.
- When was Seymour most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 786 babies were named Seymour, its highest rank at 182nd.
- How do you pronounce Seymour?
- Seymour is /ˈsiːmɔː(ɹ)/, 2 syllables.
- Is Seymour also a surname?
- Yes. Seymour is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.