Norman
Norman is both a surname and a given name. The surname has multiple origins including English, Irish, Scottish, German, French, Norwegian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Jewish American. The given name Norman is mostly of English origin, though in some cases it can be an Anglicised form of a Scottish Gaelic personal name.
- English
- German
- Germanic
Meaning & Origin of Norman
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Norman is both a surname and a given name. The surname has multiple origins including English, Irish, Scottish, German, French, Norwegian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Jewish American. The given name Norman is mostly of English origin, though in some cases it can be an Anglicised form of a Scottish Gaelic personal name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- German
- Germanic
The Story of Norman
The earliest SSA record of Norman as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 102 babies received it. 1928 was its biggest year on record, with 5,590 newborns named Norman — #39 in the national rankings. About 20% of every Norman on record arrived during the 1930s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Norman ranks #1,377 for baby boys with 138 births, gradually falling (-12%). All told, over 253K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Norman
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Norman. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Norman
Phonetically similar names — useful when Norman 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 Norman
What does the name Norman mean?
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How popular is Norman in 2026?
When was Norman most popular?
In which U.S. states is Norman most popular?
Is Norman a unisex name?
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About the name Norman
Norman is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 253K births in the dataset. Norman's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #36. Use the chart and map above to compare Norman's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- 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.