Meir
Meir is a Jewish male given name and an occasional surname. It means "one who shines". It is often Germanized as Maier, Mayer, Mayr, Meier, Meyer, Meijer, Italianized as Miagro, or Anglicized as Mayer, Meyer, or Myer. Notable people with the name include:
- Hebrew
- Yiddish
Meaning & Origin of Meir
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Meir is a Jewish male given name and an occasional surname. It means "one who shines". It is often Germanized as Maier, Mayer, Mayr, Meier, Meyer, Meijer, Italianized as Miagro, or Anglicized as Mayer, Meyer, or Myer. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hebrew
- Yiddish
The Story of Meir
American parents first put Meir on the record books as a baby boy name in 1951, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 262 Meirs were born — ranking #902 that year. About 34% of every Meir on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Meir ranks #902 for baby boys with 262 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). All told, over 5K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1950s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Meir
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Meir. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Meir
Phonetically similar names — useful when Meir 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 Meir
What does the name Meir mean?
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How popular is Meir in 2026?
When was Meir most popular?
In which U.S. states is Meir most popular?
Is Meir a unisex name?
What names go well with Meir?
What are nicknames or variants of Meir?
About the name Meir
Meir is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1951 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Meir's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #902. Use the chart and map above to compare Meir's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- 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.