Werner
Werner is a name of German origin and is common both as a given name and a surname. As is often the case with Germanic names, it is a dithematic name, meaning it is composed of two semantically unrelated word stems, in this case the Old High German waron and heri. Wernher is a variation on Werner. Cognate names in other languages include Warner (English), Guernier (French), and Verner.
Meaning & Origin of Werner
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Werner is a name of German origin and is common both as a given name and a surname. As is often the case with Germanic names, it is a dithematic name, meaning it is composed of two semantically unrelated word stems, in this case the Old High German waron and heri. Wernher is a variation on Werner. Cognate names in other languages include Warner (English), Guernier (French), and Verner.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Werner
Werner first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1889, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1930, when 93 Werners were born — ranking #634 that year. As of 2026, Werner ranks #7,725 for baby boys with 10 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 3K Werners 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 Werner
Phonetically similar names — useful when Werner 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 Werner
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About the name Werner
Werner is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1889 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Werner's peak popularity came in 1930 when it ranked #634. Use the chart and map above to compare Werner's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1930 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "W" →
- 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.