Gunnar
Gunnar is a male first name of Nordic origin. Gunder is a nordic variant, Günther is the modern German variant. Notable people with the name Gunnar include:
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Icelandic
Meaning & Origin of Gunnar
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gunnar is a male first name of Nordic origin. Gunder is a nordic variant, Günther is the modern German variant. Notable people with the name Gunnar include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Icelandic
- Norse Mythology
The Story of Gunnar
Gunnar first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1893, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 825 Gunnars were born — ranking #387 that year. As of 2026, Gunnar ranks #631 for baby boys with 450 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 19K Gunnars have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gunnar
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gunnar. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Gunnar
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gunnar is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gunnar
What does the name Gunnar mean?
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How popular is Gunnar in 2026?
When was Gunnar most popular?
In which U.S. states is Gunnar most popular?
Is Gunnar a unisex name?
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About the name Gunnar
Gunnar is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1893 and has accumulated 19K births in the dataset. Gunnar's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #382. Use the chart and map above to compare Gunnar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.