Palmer

Meaning: Pilgrim who carried a palm branch
Origin: English (from Middle English, from Old French)

Boy's name · #995 in the US (2025) · Vintage

16% boys · 84% girls — About 84% of babies named Palmer in recent years have been girls. Palmer →

Popularity over time

Palmer belongs to an older America first — it reached #386 back in 1908 — yet it still appears in today's records at #995. About 9,300 boys have carried it since 1880.

Across the states

See where Palmer is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 24 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Palmer ranks in other countries and regions.

#1,590 in England & Wales (2025) · #1,789 in Canada (2024).

Famous Palmers

Palmer Luckey — American founder of Oculus VR and inventor of the Oculus Rift
Palmer Cox — Canadian illustrator and author (1840–1924)
Palmer Hayden — American artist (1890–1973)
Palmer DePaulis — American politician
Palmer Hildebrand — Major League Baseball catcher (1884–1960)

In stories & tradition

Palmer^it — Pokémon
Palmer Cortlandt — All My Children (TV series)

What Palmers become

Among 47 notable people named Palmer:

No single standout — notable Palmers spread across many fields.

Similar names: Noble · Paris · Carmine · Foster · Chester · Mercer

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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