Palmer
From Middle English palmer (“a pilgrim from the Holy Land”), from Old French.
Every Palmer since 1880 — 18,653 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Palmer
Palmer is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #232 in 2025 with 1,330 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 18,653 American babies have been named Palmer — about 50% girls and 50% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,560 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Palmer stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Palmer year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,330 | #232 | 230 | #995 |
| 2024 | 1,224 | #258 | 202 | #1,079 |
| 2023 | 1,133 | #277 | 240 | #945 |
| 2022 | 1,075 | #295 | 200 | #1,091 |
| 2021 | 996 | #330 | 222 | #989 |
| 2020 | 888 | #348 | 163 | #1,188 |
| 2019 | 675 | #461 | 165 | #1,176 |
| 2018 | 433 | #675 | 172 | #1,125 |
| 2017 | 247 | #1,044 | 179 | #1,094 |
| 2016 | 241 | #1,080 | 133 | #1,345 |
| 2015 | 177 | #1,348 | 137 | #1,301 |
| 2014 | 173 | #1,355 | 112 | #1,464 |
| 2013 | 132 | #1,629 | 114 | #1,456 |
| 2012 | 138 | #1,581 | 114 | #1,456 |
| 2011 | 67 | #2,658 | 94 | #1,631 |
| 2010 | 13 | #9,116 | 83 | #1,790 |
| 2009 | 17 | #7,606 | 94 | #1,682 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6,748 | 84 | #1,787 |
| 2007 | 24 | #5,856 | 109 | #1,474 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,603 | 98 | #1,532 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,733 | 80 | #1,688 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,749 | 86 | #1,550 |
| 2003 | 10 | #10,244 | 72 | #1,711 |
| 2002 | 7 | #13,273 | 54 | #2,041 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,795 | 58 | #1,905 |
| 2000 | 7 | #12,800 | 65 | #1,738 |
| 1995 | 7 | #11,428 | 36 | #2,243 |
| 1990 | — | — | 48 | #1,695 |
| 1985 | — | — | 25 | #2,208 |
| 1980 | — | — | 27 | #2,039 |
| 1975 | — | — | 18 | #2,423 |
| 1970 | — | — | 30 | #1,569 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,242 | 25 | #1,585 |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,200 | 33 | #1,394 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,480 | 56 | #1,007 |
| 1950 | 13 | #3,014 | 39 | #1,157 |
| 1945 | — | — | 47 | #950 |
| 1940 | — | — | 68 | #746 |
| 1935 | — | — | 91 | #614 |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,092 | 101 | #614 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,343 | 131 | #537 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,306 | 144 | #506 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,805 | 135 | #480 |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,703 | 25 | #578 |
| 1905 | — | — | 19 | #544 |
| 1900 | — | — | 21 | #529 |
| 1895 | — | — | 13 | #599 |
| 1890 | — | — | 10 | #659 |
| 1885 | — | — | 8 | #749 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #628 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Palmer mean?
From Middle English palmer (“a pilgrim from the Holy Land”), from Old French.
How popular is the name Palmer in 2025?
Palmer ranked #232 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,330 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Palmer?
18,653 babies have been named Palmer in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Palmer most popular?
Palmer peaked in 2025, when 1,560 newborns received the name.
Is Palmer a boy or girl name?
Palmer is used for both: about 50% of babies named Palmer have been girls and 50% boys.
Is the name Palmer rising or falling?
Palmer is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.