Girl · #13,458 in 2026

Palmyra

Palmyra is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second millennium BCE. Palmyra changed hands on a number of occasions between different empires before becoming a subject of the Roman Empire in the first century CE.

Current Rank
#13,458
Peak Rank
#2,552 (1917)
Total Babies
77
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1904
First Year
2021
Last Year
1917
Peak Year
#2552
Peak Rank
77
Total Count
12
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Palmyra

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Palmyra is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second millennium BCE. Palmyra changed hands on a number of occasions between different empires before becoming a subject of the Roman Empire in the first century CE.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Records of the name "Tadmor" date from the early second millennium BC; 18th-century BC tablets from Mari written in cuneiform record the name as "Ta-ad-mi-ir", while Assyrian inscriptions of the 11th century BC record it as "Ta-ad-mar". Palmyrene inscriptions themselves showed two variants of the name; TDMR (i.e., Tadmar) and TDMWR (i.e., Tadmor). The etymology of the name is unclear; the standard interpretation, supported by Albert Schultens , connects it to the Semitic word for " date palm ", tamar ( .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"Ezra SIL SR","E
Origin & history
Efqa Spring , which dried up in 1994 The area has a rich history of human habitation, with evidence of Paleolithic settlements. Habitation in the area of Tell ez-Zor, dates as far back as the Prepottery Neolithic A period, with a three-unit architectural complex dating to the Prepottery Neolithic B period. In the Efqa Spring site, not far from the Tell, a Neolithic settlement existed, with stone tools dated to 7500 BC. Archaeological sounding in the tell beneath the Temple of Bel uncovered a mud-brick structure built around 2500 BC, followed by structures built during the Middle Bronze Age and

The Story of Palmyra

Palmyra first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1904, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 12 Palmyras were born — ranking #2,552 that year. As of 2026, Palmyra ranks #13,458 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 77 Palmyras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Palmyra

Phonetically similar names — useful when Palmyra 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 Palmyra

What does the name Palmyra mean?
Palmyra is an ancient city in central Syria. It is located in the eastern part of the Levant, and archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second millennium BCE. Palmyra changed hands on a number of occasions between different empires before becoming a subject of the Roman Empire in the first century CE.
How popular is Palmyra in 2026?
In 2026, Palmyra ranks #13,458 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Palmyra most popular?
Palmyra reached its peak popularity in 1917, ranking #2,552 that year with 12 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Palmyra most popular?
Palmyra has historically been most popular in Pennsylvania. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Palmyra.
Is Palmyra a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Palmyra is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Palmyra?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Palmyra include Hennie, Clevie, Hilja. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Hennie
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Clevie
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Hilja
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Latha
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Australia
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Glenola
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Loella
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About the name Palmyra

Palmyra is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1904 and has accumulated 77 births in the dataset. Palmyra's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #2,552. Use the chart and map above to compare Palmyra's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.