Palmer
Palmer is a unisex given name that is a transferred use of a surname meaning palm bearer or pilgrim. Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land traditionally carried the palms.
Meaning & Origin of Palmer
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Palmer is a unisex given name that is a transferred use of a surname meaning palm bearer or pilgrim. Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land traditionally carried the palms.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Palmer
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Palmer as a girl name dates back to 1908, when 7 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 1,286 newborns named Palmer — #246 in the national rankings. About 74% of every Palmer on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Palmer ranks #246 for girls with 1,286 births, rising sharply (+84% over the past five years). All told, over 11K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Palmer on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 10 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 240 Palmers were born — ranking #939 that year. As of 2026, Palmer ranks #1,000 for boys with 225 births, rising sharply (+21% over the past five years). All told, over 9K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Palmer
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Palmer Burch (1907–1990), American politician
- Palmer W. Collins (1930–2018), American politician
- Palmer Cox (1840–1924), Canadian illustrator and author
- Palmer F. Daugs (1903–1980), American politician
- Palmer DePaulis (born 1945), American politician
- Palmer D. Farrington (1918–1996), American politician
- H. Palmer Hall (1942-2013), American poet, fiction writer, essayist, editor and librarian
- Palmer E. Havens (1818–1886), American politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Palmer
Phonetically similar names — useful when Palmer is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Pommer
- Pamer
- Bomber
- Bommer
- Balmer
- Pawner
- Pother
- Palm
- Par
- Palms
- Painter
- Parr
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Palmer
What does the name Palmer mean?
How popular is Palmer in 2026?
When was Palmer most popular?
In which U.S. states is Palmer most popular?
Is Palmer a unisex name?
What names go well with Palmer?
About the name Palmer
Palmer is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1908 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Palmer's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #246. Use the chart and map above to compare Palmer'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 "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.