Hamlet
Hamlet is both a masculine given name and a surname. Derivative versions of the name are Gamlet, Hamnet in English, and Hamelin in French.
- Literature
- Armenian
Meaning & Origin of Hamlet
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Hamlet is both a masculine given name and a surname. Derivative versions of the name are Gamlet, Hamnet in English, and Hamelin in French.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Literature
- Armenian
The Story of Hamlet
Hamlet first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1911, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 11 Hamlets were born — ranking #7,170 that year. As of 2026, Hamlet ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 245 Hamlets have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Where is Hamlet most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- TT35%
- United States35%
- United Kingdom11%
- New Zealand10%
- CM9%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Hamlet
Phonetically similar names — useful when Hamlet 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 Hamlet
What does the name Hamlet mean?
What is the origin of the name Hamlet?
How popular is Hamlet in 2026?
When was Hamlet most popular?
In which U.S. states is Hamlet most popular?
Is Hamlet a unisex name?
What names go well with Hamlet?
About the name Hamlet
Hamlet is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1911 and has accumulated 245 births in the dataset. Hamlet's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #7,170. Use the chart and map above to compare Hamlet's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2019 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- 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.