Boy · #2,360 in 2026

Whitaker

Whitaker is a surname of English and Scottish origin, meaning the white acre, also spelled "Whittaker" and "Whitacre." Notable people with the surname include:

Current Rank
#2,360
Peak Rank
#2,193 (2021)
Total Babies
902
5-Yr Trend
+6%
2014
First Year
2022
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#13584
Peak Rank
11
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Whitaker

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

Whitaker is a surname of English and Scottish origin, meaning the white acre, also spelled "Whittaker" and "Whitacre." Notable people with the surname include:

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

The Story of Whitaker

Whitaker first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1949, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 64 Whitakers were born — ranking #2,193 that year. As of 2026, Whitaker ranks #2,360 for baby boys with 61 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 902 Whitakers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Whitaker

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • The Whitaker iron family - a family important in the iron and steel industry in 19th and 20th century America
  • A. J. Whitaker ( Ayana Jean Whitaker ; born 1992), American volleyball player
  • Alexander Whitaker (1585–1616), American religious leader
  • Amoret Whitaker , forensic entomologist
  • Ann Whitaker , American physicist
  • Anthony Whitaker (1944–2014), New Zealand herpetologist
  • Ayton Whitaker (1916–1999), British producer and director of radio, film and television
  • Arthur Luther Whitaker (1921–2007), American minister, professor, psychologist, and sociologist

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

Names that sound like Whitaker

Phonetically similar names — useful when Whitaker is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Whittaker
  • Whitacre
  • Whiteaker
  • Whittier
  • Wittier
  • Whateer
  • Wheatear
  • Wittig
  • Weitek
  • Whisker
  • Wicker
  • Witter

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Whitaker

What does the name Whitaker mean?
Whitaker is a surname of English and Scottish origin, meaning the white acre, also spelled "Whittaker" and "Whitacre." Notable people with the surname include:
How popular is Whitaker in 2026?
In 2026, Whitaker ranks #2,360 among boys' names in the U.S., with 61 babies given the name that year.
When was Whitaker most popular?
Whitaker reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #2,193 that year with 64 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Whitaker most popular?
Whitaker has historically been most popular in Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Whitaker.
Is Whitaker a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Whitaker is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Whitaker?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Whitaker include Fannie, Luby, Wallie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Whitaker

Whitaker is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1949 and has accumulated 902 births in the dataset. Whitaker's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #2,193. Use the chart and map above to compare Whitaker'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.