Luther
The name Luther is a masculine name of German origin meaning army. It was once exclusive to Evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant Church.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Luther
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Luther is a masculine name of German origin meaning army. It was once exclusive to Evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant Church.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Luther
American parents first put Luther on the record books as a baby boy name in 1880, with 260 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1922, when 1,477 Luthers were born — ranking #118 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 20% of all recorded Luthers. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,519 among baby boy names with 118 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 67K Luthers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Luther
Phonetically similar names — useful when Luther 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 Luther
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About the name Luther
Luther is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 67K births in the dataset. Luther's peak popularity came in 1922 when it ranked #63. Use the chart and map above to compare Luther's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1922 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- 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.